Stained
by H8trzgonnah8te
Summary: Clementine has lost more in her young life than most people. Her wounds go deeper than anyone could know. She has secrets locked tight, unrevealed. Hoping to give her daughters a life better than her own, Clementine must choose: how far is she willing to go to protect her family? And who can she turn to in a world where trust is often broken? Proceeds after Unravel. (Gets Dark.)
1. Chapter 1

_**Thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

* * *

Late at night Christa sat before the fireplace, flipping idly through a book. She couldn't focus on reading, she was lost in her own thoughts. They had been in Wellington for a good two weeks and Christa still couldn't help but feel a bit anxious about being there.

Sure, Christa was more than grateful to have finally found this place. Wellington had everything they needed. Strong walls, walls that would take a great amount of effort to get pass, a hospital, a school. They didn't have to worry about food or weapons. It was the perfect place for the kids to grow up.

Christa was also glad to get Clementine away from the stress of their old group. The poor kid needed a lot of healing and Wellington could be her new start.

As much as she hated to admit it, Christa had grown to like Wellington. When they had first arrived at the town, they were told that they weren't accepting newcomers. However, when Christa informed them of their situation, told them about the kids, Edith did her best to convince the leaders to let the group in.

The agreement had been to only take the children, but Clementine had thrown a fit at the mere thought. The girl became so hysterical that Edith begged the leaders to change their minds.

At first the leaders were reluctant. They brought the children in, the babies crying, Sarah in a panic, and Clementine fighting. After seeing how inconsolable Clementine was, they gave in and allowed the adults to enter.

They had to be check over for bites and inform the doctors of any illness. The doctors spend a good amount of time checking over the babies and Clementine.

After that, the group was given the decision to stick together or split up into two different homes. Christa figured that it would be best to split up, in order for everyone to have their own space. Fortunately, they managed to get two houses side by side. And decided to just leave the doors unlocked so the older kids could stay at whichever house they pleased.

But Christa was apprehensive, groups were hard to trust. Christa always had a hard time trusting people, which is why she made sure little Clementine stayed wary of strangers. She wanted the girl to be a survivor and that meant she had to be smart. She couldn't be the innocent kid that she used her to be.

By no means was Christa expecting the kids to settle in fast, especially not after the traumatic event they had faced, but she was hoping things would be better.

Sarah had been distant since before they arrived. Becca was doing her own thing. And Christa could never tell what Clementine was thinking.

Fortunately, they had a psychiatrist who had been speaking with Clementine and Sarah, and someone else to help with Clementine's physical therapy.

The girls were slowly, but surely making progress.

Christa closed her book and laid it down. She sat for a few moments to gather herself before heading to the nursery to check on the twins. She was surprised when she noticed Clementine sitting in the rocking chair, clutching her teddy bear in her arms. The candle on the small nightstand casting a dim light over the room.

Christa raised a brow, "Clem, what are you doing in here?"

Clementine took a moment to answer. "...Thinking... I wanted to see the twins..."

"Well... They're sleep, like you should be..." Christa said. You should be in bed, Clem."

"I can't sleep." Clementine said.

"Why not, Clem?" Christa asked.

The child shrugged. "My mind keeps spinning. And the thoughts won't stop."

"What kind of thoughts?"

"Bad ones..." Clementine answered. "I'm... scared."

Christa sighed and asked, "What are you scared of?"

"People with guns... People who like to hurt other people... And... And..." Clementine replied.

"And what?"

"People like Carver..." Clementine said.

Christa frowned and walked over to the child, kneeling to her level. "Hey, no one's going to hurt you. I won't let that happen."

"You don't have to let it happen... Sometimes bad things happen, and we can't stop it..." Clementine said.

"...How'd you get in here? Where's your chair?" Christa asked.

"I didn't use it... I walked." Clementine shrugged.

"Walked?" Christa raised a brow.

"With the wall." Clementine said. "I don't need the chair... I don't like it."

"It's to help you get around…" Christa replied.

"I hate it..." Clementine said. "I don't want it."

"I know you don't..." Christa sighed. "We'll talk to the doctors about an alternative."

"What's that?"

"Something else you can use, instead of the wheelchair." Clementine said.

"Like what?"

"Maybe a… walking stick." Christa said.

Clementine frowned. "I do all the exercises they tell me. I move the pedals on the bike, but the bike doesn't go anywhere. I practice walking the steps, but they won't let me do it by myself... I just want to walk like I used to…"

"You will. You just need more time. Clem, you had two kids just months ago. Your body's still recovering." Christa said.

Clementine kept quiet.

"Come on, let's get you back in bed." Christa spoke up.

"Okay... I want to walk." Clementine said.

"Alright, Clem."

Christa offered the girl her hand and helped her to her feet. She allowed the girl to walk without any assistance. The girl used the wall to keep her balance. Christa stayed close, ready to help if the girl asked. Eventually, they got to the girl's room. Christa waited patiently for the girl to climb into bed before pulling the blanket over her.

"Christa…" Clementine called.

"Yeah, Clem?"

"Do you think Luke and the others will ever find us…?" Clementine asked.

"Clem… I…I don't know if they made it…" Christa said.

"But… But…."

"But what?" Christa asked.

"Why didn't we stay to help? Why didn't we go back?" Clementine questioned.

"It was too dangerous, Clem." Christa said. "We been over this…"

"But we could've waited for them at Parker's Run." Clementine said.

"We couldn't do that. It was too cold out there. Especially for AJ and the twins." Christa said. "Besides, staying in one spot is too dangerous…"

"Then why are we staying here?" Clementine asked. "Are we going to leave soon?"

Christa took a seat on the foot of the bed. "No… We're going to stay as long as we can…"

"But you said-"

Christa interrupted her. "This is different, Clementine."

"How?"

"It's safe here." Christa said.

"It was safe at the other town." Clementine said.

"Clem, that place wasn't safe." Christa disagreed.

"It was, before we got attacked." Clementine replied.

"Okay, you're right. Maybe it was safe for a while, but I can't say I'm sad that we're not there anymore. That group was making far too many mistakes…" Christa said.

"Everyone makes mistakes…" Clementine replied.

Christa sighed. "They were just dysfunctional. And the way they acted was in no means helping you."

"I liked them…" Clementine said. "Well… Luke and Vince. They were nice… And…. And I thought Luke was the twins' daddy…"

"Clementine, look… The twins are your kids." Christa said.

"But they need a daddy!" Clementine exclaimed.

Christa shook her head. "No… They don't, Clem. They have you, their mommy."

"But… But I don't know how to be a mommy…" Clementine frowned.

"I think you're doing a good job so far. And Kenny, Sarita, and I are around to help you…" Christa said.

Clementine bit her lip. "What if they hate me when they're older?"

Christa frowned at that. "Why would you ever think they'd hate you?"

"Be-Because I couldn't make sure they had a good daddy…" Clementine said.

"They won't hate you, Clem. You've done nothing wrong. They'll forever be grateful to have you…" Christa told the child.

"You think so?"

"I know so." Christa said as she tucked a stray curl behind the child's ear. Noting the child felt warm, she said. "You got another fever…" Stress fevers were almost a normal thing when it came to Clementine, ever since the night she had the twins, but lately Christa was worried as the girl seemed to be getting them more and more often.

"Do I?" Clementine asked in a whisper.

"Yes. You need some rest. No more bad thoughts, okay." She knew thinking negative before bed usually resulted in Clementine have a nightmare.

"Okay…" Clementine said. "Can you stay until I fall asleep."

"Sure, I will." Christa said.

"Thank you." Clementine said.

* * *

As the days went on things seemed to be gradually getting better. Sarah had started speaking again, though she had convinced herself that her father would come back…

Kenny had started working as a guard in town.

And much to Sarita's delight, some of the doctors had offered to make her an artificial arm.

Things were pretty calm. Though, they were mostly inside because of heavy snowfall, they quickly became accustomed to the town. Christa was just glad they had found the place when they did, she would have hated to have the kids stuck in the snow.

Things were going well, until Christa noticed that Aleena was constantly having trouble breathing. She spoke to the doctor about any remedies.

The doctor did an observation of the child's respiratory rate. He inspected the baby's chest and listened to her breathing with a stethoscope. And after a few days of assessing the baby, he determined that the infant may have some kind of lung issue.

"What are our options?" Christa asked the doctor.

The doctor spoke up, "Right now, we'd like to keep her at the hospital for a few days so-"

"No!" Clementine cut in.

Christa looked the girl with a frown. "Clem-"

"They're not taking her!" Clementine exclaimed.

"We just want to run some test on her, so we can properly diagnose her." The doctor said.

"No... I don't want you to take her." Clementine said.

The doctor and Christa exchanged looks. "I'll talk to her..."

The doctor gave a nod.

Once the doctor had left Christa sighed. "Clem… Listen to me…."

"He's not taking my baby…" Clementine said.

"I know you're nervous… But it's only going to be for a few days…" Christa said. "So they can make sure she's healthy… I'll go with her…"

"And what will I do…?" Clementine asked.

"I want you and Crystal to stay with Kenny and Sarita. They'll look after you..." Christa said.

"What about Promise?"

"Him too." Christa said.

"...Okay." The child agreed.

"That's my girl. I need you to be brave for Aleena..." Christa said.

Clementine nodded. "I will..."

"Good." Christa said.

"Christa...?"

"Yes?"

"Everything's gonna be okay, right?" Clementine asked.

Christa nodded. "Everything will be fine. I promise..."

* * *

"Someone's tired." Kenny said as he noticed little Clementine fast asleep on the couch the next day.

"She has a fever." Christa informed.

"Again?" Sarita asked.

"Yeah. The doctor dropped by and checked in on her and the twins," Christa explained.

"What did he say about her fevers?" Kenny asked.

"Same thing Carlos had been saying, the fevers are stress induced." Christa said.

"Poor kid." Kenny said.

"She'll be fine with some rest…" Christa said. "She's had her medicine…."

"Well, how are the twins…?" Sarita asked.

"Fast asleep, right now." Christa said.

"You look like something's bothering you…" Sarita noted.

Christa sighed. "I was hoping you two could keep an eye on Clementine and Crystal for me for a few days."

"A few days?" Kenny asked. "Where are you going?"

"The hospital." Christa answered.

"Is everything okay?" Sarita asked.

"I don't know yet… Aleena's been having trouble breathing, which is nothing new, but they want to run some test on her…" Christa replied.

"Guess that's what has Clem so stressed." Kenny sighed.

"Yeah. She's scared out of her mind…." Christa said. "I'm worried too…"

"I'm sure she'll be okay…" Sarita said.

"I hope so…" Christa said.

"We'll look after them for you. It's no problem." Kenny said.

"I appreciate it." Christa replied.

* * *

The first two days Christa and Aleena were away, Clementine's nerves were all over the place. Sarah and Becca did their best to keep the girl focused on other things, but it proved to be difficult.

The little girl had clear separation anxiety. She began clinging to Crystal like she was a lifeline, couldn't be away from her for more than a few minutes.

Kenny and Sarita were concerned for the young girl. She was so nervous she wasn't eating much or getting much sleep. And the girl was getting constant stress fevers.

Clementine didn't move an inch when Kenny stepped into the nursery. She didn't speak a word or look to him.

"How you doing, Clem?" Kenny asked.

There was no response from the child. She just sat in the rocking chair, while her daughter slept peacefully in her crib.

Kenny sighed, the girl's face was a bit flushed, he decided to check her for a fever.

Clementine finally glanced up from the rocking chair as she felt a hand touch her forehead.

"You got a fever, darlin'…" Kenny said. "You feeling okay?"

Clementine simply shrugged.

"Can you take your medicine for me?"

Clementine kept quiet for a moment before asking in a small voice. "...When's Aleena coming home?"

"Soon, darlin'..." Kenny said.

"I miss her." Clementine muttered.

"I know you do..." Kenny replied.

"Kenny…" Clementine's voice was quiet as she spoke, "Am I a bad mom?"

"Why would you think that?" Kenny asked.

"Because I had my babies…. premature..." Clementine said.

"Oh, Clem... That's not your fault. Don't ever think that." Kenny said.

"Then who's fault is it?" Clementine asked.

Kenny thought about saying it was Troy's and Tavia's fault, but he knew the girl didn't remember them, and there was no point in bringing them up the child who was already hurting. "Clem, you're small... You're a little kid. It's surprising that you even managed to carry them as long as you did without having a miscarriage."

Clementine furrowed her brows. "What's a miscarriage?"

"It's... when the baby dies during the pregnancy..." Kenny answered.

Clementine gasped at that. "I... I'm glad that didn't happen."

"I know, darlin'." Kenny said.

"Kenny,"

"Yes, Clem?

"Is Aleena gonna be okay?" Clementine asked.

"I'm sure she will. She's a fighter, like her mama." Kenny said.

Clementine felt a tiny smile cross her lips, "Yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am." Kenny said. "Can you take your medicine now?"

"…Okay…"

* * *

On the third day, Kenny had spoken to Edith while on guard duty about letting Clementine have a walkie-talkie to speak with Christa and check in on her daughter.

Edith figured it was smart and managed to pass the idea, along with a spare radio, over to Christa.

When Kenny returned home and offered Clementine to hold on to his radio, the child looked at him like he had just kicked a puppy.

"Everything okay, darlin'?" Kenny asked.

"I… I don't want it." Clementine stammered, terrible memories resurfacing.

"Why not, Clem?" Kenny asked. "You used to love your walkie-talkie. You took that thing everywhere."

"Used to…" The girl said.

"Clem-"

"It ruined lives! It got people killed! I got people killed…" Clementine's voice cracked as she fought back tears.

Kenny frowned, feeling his heart clench at her words. "Clementine…"

"I killed Lee." Clementine said.

"That's not true." Kenny said.

"Yes it is!" Clementine said, shoulders shaking. "It's my fault."

Kenny pulled the child into an embrace, feeling tears wet his shirt.

"He's dead because of me…" Clementine said through her tears.

"Clem, what happened wasn't your fault." Kenny tried to sooth the child.

The child sobbed her little heart out in his arms, repeating over and over how things were her fault.

Kenny did his best to sooth her, telling her it wasn't her fault. He felt horrible for even showing her the radio now. "Hon, everyone made a choice. We wanted you to be safe. Don't blame yourself…" Kenny said as he hugged the girl closer, rubbing circles on her back.

When the girl finally calmed down, Kenny sighed. "I didn't mean to upset you, Clem…"

"You didn't…"

"I did… But listen… I just wanted to help…" Kenny said. He carried the child over to the couch and sat her down before taking a seat beside her. "I know you've been missing Leena,"

"I want to see her." Clementine said.

"I know you do, Clem." Kenny said.

"I want to see her today."

"Tell you what, I'll take you to see her tomorrow." Kenny offered.

Clementine's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. But for now, maybe you could use the radio to talk to Christa and-"

"N-No!" Clementine flinched away. "I don't want to touch it…"

"But-"

"Someone will die if I do…" Clementine claimed.

Kenny shook his head. "No one's gonna die, hon."

"How do you know?" Clementine asked.

"I just do…" Kenny said.

"Bad stuff always happens around me. Because I'm naughty! I'm a naughty whore!" Clementine said.

"No, no, no! Don't say stuff like that. You're not naughty. And you're certainly NOT a whore." Kenny said.

Clementine stayed silent as she still refused to touch the radio.

Kenny sighed. "What if I hold it for you?"

"…Okay…"

Kenny started to press the button, but Clementine stopped him, causing him to raise a brow.

"Wait…" Clementine said.

"What's wrong?"

"I… I'm nervous." The child admits.

"Why?"

"What if…something bad happened?" Clementine muttered.

"Bad like what?"

Clementine shrugged. "I don't know… What if something's wrong with my baby?"

"Everything's gonna to be okay. I promise…"

"O-Okay…"

Kenny hit the button on the radio and spoke, "Christa, you there?"

A few seconds of silence passed.

Kenny watched Clementine's expression. The child looked nervous.

Finally, a response came crackling over the handheld device. "Kenny? Yeah, I'm here."

Kenny looked to Clementine, waiting to see if she would say something.

The girl's face was filled with anxiety and she looked as if she was torn between speaking and staying quiet.

"I got Clem here with me." Kenny said into the radio.

"Hey, Clementine. How are you doing?" Christa voice replied after a couple seconds.

Kenny hit the button and urged Clementine to respond.

The child did. "O-Okay... How's Aleena?" Clementine waited for the response, biting at her lower lip.

"She just finished off a bottle. So she's a happy camper right now." Christa said.

Clementine sighed in relief. A moment later, little coos were heard over the walkie-talkie causing Clementine to smile.

Kenny passed the radio to the girl, who hesitantly accepted.

"I want to see her. When are you coming back...?" Clementine asked into the walkie-talkie.

The radio crackled a bit as Christa answered, "Hopefully in a day or two. How's Crystal?"

"She's sleeping." Clementine replied.

"That's good. You're behaving yourself, right."

"Of course she is. She wants to stop by tomorrow." Kenny answered before Clementine could speak a word.

There was a silence, longer than before. "Umm... I don't know if that's a good idea..."

Clementine felt her heart drop. "Why not?"

"Well... things are really busy lately, but don't worry. We'll be home soon." Christa said.

"...I miss you both..." Clementine said.

"We miss you too." There's another pause before Christa's voice come through again. "I'm going to get Aleena to sleep. Call me tomorrow."

"...Okay..." Clementine said.

Another few seconds drifted by before Christa said, "I'll give her lots of hugs and kisses for you."

"Thanks Christa..." Clementine said before placing the radio down.

"Feel better?"

"No... Can you still take me to see her?" Clementine asked.

"Sure I will, Clem." Kenny said.

"Thanks..."

"Why don't you try to get some rest?" Kenny suggested. "It's getting late."

"Okay... But..." Clementine trailed off, looking to the walkie-talkie.

"It's all yours, Clem. You can hang onto that until Christa and Aleena come home." Kenny said.

"Thank you..."

* * *

The next morning, the doctor had perform a standard check of Aleena's oxygen level. The baby had a small nasal cannula under her nose, in order to help her to receive direct oxygen from a nearby oxygen tank. Christa was worried about maneuvering it around once they got back home.

After the doctor had finished the check up, he left the room.

Christa bottle fed the infant, though Aleena wasn't too fond of the formula. She hadn't been eating much.

When a knock came at the door Christa sighed, expecting to see another doctor. She was surprised when Kenny stepped in, pushing Clementine in her wheelchair.

"What are you two doing here?" Christa looked surprise to see them.

"Clem finished therapy early, so we figured we'd come by to see you." Kenny said. "How's the baby?"

"She's been pretty active lately. She rolled over a couple times. Think she's gonna start sitting up on her own soon." Christa said.

"Can I hold her?" Clementine asked. "Please?"

"Sure you can." Christa stood and hand the baby to the little girl.

"Why's this tube in her nose?" Clementine asked.

"It's to help her breathe..." Christa said.

"What's wrong with her?" Kenny asked.

"I don't know yet..." Christa replied.

Kenny raised a brow. "What did the doctors say?"

"They don't know yet either..." Christa replied.

Clementine started to speak, but before she could get a word out another knock came at the door.

"Come in." Christa called.

The door opened to reveal a doctor. "Looks like we got a full house today."

"Yeah, we do." Christa said.

"Well, I'm got some news..." The doctor said.

"What is it?" Christa asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Perhaps the child shouldn't be present..." The doctor asked, motioning to Clementine.

"It's her baby... She should be here..."

The doctor gave a surprise look at the before saying. "…Okay…"

Clementine felt her heart start to pound as she wondered what he would say next.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

* * *

"What's wrong with her?" Kenny asked.

"We think she has something called bronchopulmonary dysplasia or BPD for short." The doctor explained.

"BPD?" Clementine furrowed her brows. "What's that?"

"It's a chronic lung disease. It's not uncommon in children, especially a child born premature. It is basically when a child has abnormal development of lung tissue." The doctor responded.

"Can you fix her?" Clementine asked.

The doctor sighed. "It's not something that can simply be fixed. It's not like a cold-"

"Fix her! You better fix her!" Clementine exclaimed, causing Aleena to cry.

The doctor gave a flinch at the child's sudden outburst.

"Clementine, calm down, please." Christa said.

"I want him to fix her! Tell him to fix her!" Clementine yelled.

Christa sighed and hugged the little girl. "It's okay. She's going to be fine."

"H-How do you know. She has BDP." Clementine sniffled.

"BPD..." The doctor corrected.

"I want her to feel better." Clementine said.

"She will. Trust me..." Christa said. "I need you to calm down and take some deep breaths."

"B-But..."

"You got to calm down for Leena. When you're upset, she's upset too." Christa said.

Clementine frowned at that but nodded. She started taking deep breaths, until she calmed down. "I'm sorry, Leena... I didn't mean to scare you." She rocked Aleena until the baby eventually calmed down.

Christa looked to the doctor. "What's the treatment plan?"

"Well... we have a few options…" The doctor started.

"What are they?" Christa urged him to continue.

"The main thing would be starting oxygen therapy and making sure she has certain medicines. If things take a bad turn, we'll have to think about giving her a tracheostomy." The doctor said.

"What's that mean?" Kenny asked.

"It would be a surgical procedure where we create an opening through Aleena's neck and place a tube through the opening to provide an airway and to remove secretions from her lungs." The doctor explained to them.

Clementine and Kenny exchanged confused looks while Christa frowned.

"Again, in English this time?" Kenny said.

"We would create and opening-"

Kenny stopped him. "Hold on, you're saying you want to cut a hole in that baby's throat?"

Clementine gasped at that, holding her daughter closer. "N-No! I won't let you…"

"It's not what you're thinking, this would only be to help her breathe." The doctor said.

"She's breathing now, ain't she?" Kenny inquired.

"With the help of oxygen. She's been having sleep apnea, but we also noticed her oxygen levels dropping while awake. BPD isn't uncommon in premature babies." The doctor explained. "However, there are a lot of risk with this illness. She's more at risk for respiratory infections, such as the flu or pneumonia. And when a child with BPD gets an infection, they tend to get sicker than most children do. Another complication could be excess fluid in the lungs."

"Stop it! You're lying! Leena's fine!" Clementine snapped.

"Clementine…" Christa sighed.

"I don't want you to cut my baby! Go away!" Clementine said to the doctor.

"Clem, calm down..." Christa sighed, rubbing a comforting hand over the child's shoulders. She looked to the doctor. "I'm sorry about this."

The doctor gave an understanding nod before he spoke again. "The tracheostomy will be the last resort. We'll do oxygen therapy and see how that goes. We have to be patient for now. For Aleena in particular, she has asthma like symptoms. She could also possibly have asthma, but right now it's too early to diagnosed her because she's so young."

"So, if you know what's wrong with her, can she come home now?" Kenny asked.

"Actually, I think it'd be best if she stays here for a few more days." The doctor said. "We just want to make sure she's healthy enough to go home."

"She needs to come home now! I miss her. And… And Crystal misses her." Clementine said.

"Who's Crystal?" The doctor questioned.

"Aleena's twin…." Christa answered.

The doctor hummed. "Has Crystal had any breathing problems?"

"She's had different problems. More so when it comes to certain formulas…" Christa replied.

"Allergies?" The doctor asked.

Christa nodded. "Exactly."

"And she's been checked out here?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, both the twins were checked by another medic." Christa said. "Plus our previous group had a doctor."

"Okay… That's good." The doctor said.

"Why can't Leena come home?" Clementine said. "It's been too long."

"Clem, listen to me, she needs to stay, so when she comes home she'll be healthy." Christa said.

"Then I'm staying too." Clementine stated.

Christa shook her head. "I want you to go home"

The child pouted. "I don't want to…"

"You have to. Crystal needs you. And Aleena needs you to be strong for her." Christa spoke in a calm tone.

"I... I want to stay!" Clementine said. "Please…"

Christa sighed. "Clem, no. You can't stay, sweetie..."

"Why not?" Clementine asked.

Christa paused for a moment. As much as she knew Clementine had the right to be around Aleena, she didn't think the child could handle it right now. She recalled how Clementine had acted when the twins were first born, how nervous she was around them. "Because I said so, Clem. I want you to stay with Kenny and Sarita until I come home…"

"That's not fair!" Clementine argued. "Leena's my baby."

"So you're going to leave Crystal home?" Christa asked.

Clementine frowned at that. "I… Crystal can come here too."

Christa sighed. "Clementine, no. Listen to me, you're going to stay-"

"I said no!" Clementine exclaimed.

Christa bit back a sigh as she said. "You're not allowed to tell me no. You're a child. I know you're Aleena's mother, but I'm your guardian. Which mean, what I say goes, understand." Christa didn't want to be strict with the child, but she knew sometimes it was necessary.

Clementine frowned and began whimpering.

Christa switched to a lighter tone. "I know you're upset, Clem. But what do you do when you're upset?"

"…Take deep breaths…" Clementine muttered.

"That's right. When you're upset it makes Aleena upset too, you know that." Christa said.

Clementine took a couple deep breaths before frowning. "When's she coming home?"

"It shouldn't be long, Clem… Just take care of Crystal like you've been doing." Christa said.

Clementine bit her lip but nodded. "…Okay…"

"That's my girl." Christa said.

Clementine didn't respond as she gave Aleena a kiss on the forehead. "Mommy loves you…"

Christa looked over to Kenny. "Take care of my girl."

"I will." Kenny nodded.

* * *

Upon arriving home, Clementine was a lot more anxious than before. Sarita had informed her and Kenny that AJ and Crystal had been put down for a nap, but Clementine felt the urge to check in on Crystal regardless. After seeing her daughter was fast asleep, Kenny convinced the child to go play with Sarah and Becca for a while.

Becca had set up a board game, but things felt awkward to say the least. None of the girls seemed too interested, Sarah and Becca had started playing a game of monopoly, while Clementine refused to touch her piece. She had her thumb in her mouth and was sitting silently.

"You're sucking your thumb..." Sarah muttered.

Clementine kept quiet.

"Are you sad?" Sarah asked.

Clementine still gave no response.

"What happened? Is Aleena okay?" Becca asked.

"I don't know..." Clementine finally replied.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Becca questioned, raising a brow.

"She keeps having trouble breathing. They said she has something called BPD." Clementine answered.

"What's that stand for?" Sarah asked.

Clementine paused before saying, "Broncho- something. It's a chronic lung disease."

"She's going to be okay, right?" Becca asked.

"My dad can fix her. Once he gets here." Sarah said.

Becca shot her a look. "Sarah, for fuck sake, get it through your skull that your dad's NOT coming."

"He is too!" Sarah claimed.

"No he's not! He's dead!" Becca replied.

Sarah covered her ears, not wanting to hear.

"When are you gonna grow up and stop being a baby?" Becca asked.

"Stop it..." Clementine mumbled.

"I mean, you act like more of a baby than Clem does." Becca scoffed.

"Stop it..." Clementine repeated. She didn't care that Becca had just insulted her, she just didn't want them to fight.

"I'm not a baby! I'm not!" Sarah said. "You're so mean…"

"You sure as hell act like one!" Becca said.

"STOP FIGHTING!" Clementine exclaimed.

Both of the teens jumped.

"What's with all the yelling?" Kenny asked stepping into the room.

"Make them stop fighting!" Clementine said.

"Hey, no one should be fighting." Kenny said.

"We weren't fighting. I was just telling Sarah the truth." Becca said.

"Truth about what?" Kenny asked.

"That her dad's not coming back." Becca said.

Sarah frowned, but said nothing.

"Okay, look, everyone settle down." Kenny said. "What matters now, is that we're safe. That's all."

"Whatever…" Becca huffed.

Kenny sighed and looked to Clementine. "You alright, darlin'?"

"I want my baby." Clementine said, not answering the question.

"Wanna hold Crystal?" Kenny asked.

Clementine quickly nodded.

"Alright, darlin. I'll get her." Kenny said.

"O-Okay…" Clementine stammered.

Kenny left the room.

Clementine waited until Kenny returned with Crystal in his arms. Crystal was awake and appeared to be in a good mood.

"Here's your mommy." Kenny said handing the baby over.

Clementine smiled and rocked the child. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome, darlin'." Kenny said.

Whenever Crystal was in her arms, Clementine seemed much calmer. Kenny just hoped things could stay calm. He definitely felt outnumbered with him and little Alvie being the only males in the house.

* * *

Kenny didn't know how Christa handled bedtime so smoothly. It seemed as soon as everyone had settled down for the night, Crystal decided it was time to wake up. The baby started wailing, Kenny and Sarita were quickly pulled out of their sleep.

Kenny quickly went to the room Clementine and Crystal were in to get the baby before she had the chance to wake anyone. He picked Crystal up from her cradle, which was stationed by Clementine's bed. He checked that Clementine was still fast asleep, the girl was clutching to her stuffed bear.

With Crystal in his arms, he headed into the living room where Sarita was now sitting on the couch. "I think this little lady was trying to wake her mama up."

"Did she?" Sarita asked.

"Fortunately, no. Clem's out like a light." Kenny said.

"Good. She needs her sleep."

Kenny nodded in agreement as he rocked Crystal. He tried to get the baby back to sleep, but she didn't seem tired anymore. AJ had always been easy to get to sleep, but Crystal was such a curious baby, any little noise seemed to grab her attention and she would be cooing.

"It's like she wants to start talking." Kenny said.

"Maybe she does." Sarita smiled. "She's so pretty."

"She looks just like her mommy." Kenny said. "It's so weird to think that little Clementine has two kids now… I… I just always wonder what Lee would say if he could see her now."

"What do you think he'd say?" Sarita asked him.

"I… don't know… I just know that if he was here things would be different." Kenny said. "He would've never let… what happened to Clem happen."

Sarita frowned at that. "Kenny, we didn't let that happen. It was a bad situation…"

"But we should've done more…. I should've done more…" Kenny said.

"What could we have done? We were trapped…" Sarita said.

"I don't know. Just something!" Kenny exclaimed.

Crystal let out a small whimper and Kenny rocked her. He took a breath to calm himself.

"Kenny, you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened." Sarita said to him.

"How can I?"

"You lost your eye for her, you did what you could to keep her safe." Sarita replied.

"Obviously I didn't do enough…" Kenny muttered.

Sarita opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance a scream filled the air. The scream was high-pitched and terrified, the two adults quickly recognized it.

Kenny handed Crystal over to Sarita before rushing towards the room Clementine was resting in.

Clementine's little panicked voice filled the dark room. He rushed to her side and reach out a hand to her. "N-No!" The child exclaimed, flinching back.

"It's me. It's just Kenny." He assured the young girl. "Everything's okay…"

Kenny sat on the edge of the bed and wrapped the child into a hug. He quickly noted the girl seemed to have another fever. Clementine buried her face into his shoulder whimpering. "It's okay… I got you…."

After a few moment the girl's whimpers stopped.

"You alright? Can you tell me what happened?" Kenny asked.

"Carver…" Was all the girl said.

"He's dead, darlin'. He can never hurt you ever again…" Kenny said. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"P-Promise?"

"Of course, darlin'." Kenny replied. He hoped he was doing a good job at reassuring the girl. Katjaa was usually the one to sooth Duck back to sleep after a nightmare. In his past Kenny wasn't too good with reading bedtime stories, and he wasn't super coddling, but now that he had a second chance, he was going to do the best he could. "All better?"

Clementine wiped her eyes dry and gave a tiny nod.

"Good, how about you try to go back to sleep?" Kenny suggested.

The child quickly shook her head.

"Okay, what do you wanna do then?"

The girl was quiet for a moment before asking, "Where's my baby?"

"She's with Sarita." Kenny told her. "Wanna see her?"

"Yes please…" Clementine said, voice barely over a whisper.

"Alright." Kenny started to help the girl from the bed.

"I'll walk." Clementine said.

"Okay. Just let me help you." Kenny said.

Clementine didn't protest as he helped her to the other room. He helped the girl to the couch before Sarita hand Crystal to the child.

"I think you and Crystal should get back to sleep."

"I can't." Clementine said.

"Why not?" Sarita asked.

"Because… if I go to sleep, I'll see Carver…" Clementine said.

"Oh, sweetie…" Sarita frowned.

"Carver's dead, Clem. You know that…" Kenny said.

"That doesn't mean he's not scary…" Clementine said. "Walkers come back… He might too…"

"There's no way he's coming back. Trust me." Kenny said.

"…Okay…" Clementine said. "I want to put Crystal to sleep first."

"Alright, Clem." Kenny said.

"And… And I…" The child trailed off.

"You what?" Kenny asked.

The girl averted her gaze and shyly asked, "…Can you tell me a story?"

"A story?" Kenny raised a brow.

"A nice one…. About Lee." Clementine said.

Kenny gave a small yet sad smile. "Sure, hon."

Kenny took a seat by the little girl and started reminiscing with the child about her former guardian, while she held Crystal. Crystal eventually fell asleep in her mother's arms and Clementine was dozing off herself.

"Come on, hon. Let's get you two back to bed." Kenny said.

"Okay… Can you carry me?" Clementine sleepily asked.

Kenny was surprised by the question, the girl never seemed to want help. "Carry you?"

Clementine nodded. "Please?"

Kenny nodded and replied, "Sure I can, darlin'."

"Thank you." Clementine said.

* * *

When the doctor had dropped by the next day with "good news" Clementine had hoped that Aleena was coming home.

However, the doctor asked Sarita to come to the hospital. The child was confused. She quickly asked to go too and to bring Crystal along.

Sarita agreed. Once they got to the hospital Clementine asked if she could see Aleena.

Christa was once again surprised to see them. But she allowed the child to stay. Sarita left with one of the doctors, and Clementine and Crystal remained with Christa and Aleena for most of the day.

Clementine was happy to once again be with both her twins at the same time.

After several hours Sarita had finally returned and showed off a new prosthetic arm. As much as Clementine was glad for her, she couldn't help the slight anger she felt. Not towards Sarita, but towards the doctors. How come they could make a new arm for Sarita, but her baby was still in the hospital with a tube in her nose, struggling to breathe.

It wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair.

She quickly decided she hated those doctors. How much longer would it be before Aleena was healthy and come be with her again?

"Ready to go home?" Sarita asked, pulling the child out of her thoughts.

Clementine wanted to scoff. This place wasn't home. It would never be home.

"Go on, Clem." Christa spoke up.

Clementine didn't argue, she knew there was no point. "…Okay…"

* * *

When they got back to the house Clementine mostly kept to herself.

She tended to Crystal with help from Sarita. Made sure her daughter was bathed and fed before rocking her to sleep.

She felt an emptiness. It felt so strange not having Aleena around. Despite the shock she felt when she was told she was the twins mother, Clementine quickly grew more attached to her children and now it felt like one of them had been ripped away from her.

Clementine couldn't help but feel frustrated. The longer she was apart from Aleena the more worried she became. She didn't think she could handle being away from her for much longer.

When the house became quiet and everyone was asleep, Clementine couldn't rest, her mind was running too wild.

She glanced over to the bassinet by her bed. Crystal was asleep, pacifier in her mouth.

It wouldn't be too hard to go to the hospital, get Aleena, and bring her back here. After that she could rest easy, knowing her twins were both safe by her side.

Clementine sat for a few moments wondering if she was making the right decision. If she was fast and quiet Crystal wouldn't even wake up and she could be back before anyone noticed she was gone.

"Stay with Crystal, Promise." She placed her teddy bear beside her daughter's cradle and forced herself to her feet.

She managed to get into her wheelchair and made her way out of the room. Clementine was used to navigating her way through the darkness and got to the front door without a problem. However, upon opening the door, she was faced with a dilemma… Stairs. She couldn't get the wheelchair down the porch steps on her own.

She tried to think up a plan before sighing, "Fuck it." She muttered, pushing herself out the chair. She took hold of the railing and slowly began to guide herself down.

She stumbled down the stairs, crashing to the ground by the last one. The girl barely registered the pain as she forced herself back up. She braced herself against trees and walls, anything she could to help keep her balance. However, she lost her footing again and collapsed.

The girl fought back tears. She was frustrated with herself. All that physical therapy and she still could barely walk.

She didn't notice a beam of light aimed in her direction. Or the footsteps approaching her. "You alright?" A person spoke.

Clementine flinched at the unfamiliar voice. She furrowed her brows when a young man offered her his hand.

Clementine examined his face. He appeared to be eighteen or possibly nineteen. He wore a guards' uniform. Clementine wondered if she was going to be in trouble.

"Here, let me help you." The young guard said.

With some hesitation she accepted his help to her feet. She was unsteady, and he seemed to notice this as he helped support her weight.

"I'm fine." Clementine reassured. He nodded and released his grip on her.

"What are you doing out here so late, kid?" The guard asked.

"I'm not a kid." Clementine muttered.

"You look like one to me."

Clementine didn't respond to that. She was quiet before she muttered honestly, "I… I wanted to see my daughter."

The young guard's eyes widened in surprise. "D-Daughter?"

Clementine nodded.

"But… you're like ten…" Was the response.

"Christa…. said I'm twelve." Clementine said.

"Well, does this Christa know you're out this late?" The guard asked. "She's probably worried."

"No… But I can handle myself." Clementine said.

"You're a little kid." The guard said.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." Clementine said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Uh, alright…" The guard replied. "Where's this daughter of yours?"

"At the hospital…" Clementine answered.

"She's sick?"

"Kind of… She's doing better, but they haven't let her come home." Clementine said.

"That sucks."

"Yeah…" Clementine agreed.

"Well, it's not safe for you to be out here like this. You should get back inside." The guard said.

"I'm not scared. I'm tougher than you think." Clementine said.

The young guard smirked. "I'm sure you are. What's your name, kid?"

"My name's Clementine. What's your name?" The girl replied.

"Name's Terrell." The guard said. "How about I walk you to the hospital?"

"I…"

"That's where you're going, right?" Terrell asked.

"Yeah, but… I don't want Christa to get mad at me?" Clementine said.

"Who's this Christa person anyway?"

"She's my friend… She takes care of me." Clementine replied.

"Where are your folks?" Terrell questioned.

"Gone… Like everyone else…" Clementine sighed.

"Sorry to hear that."

"Where are yours?" Clementine asked.

"Never really had any to begin with." Terrell shrugged.

"Oh…. I… I'm sorry." Clementine said. She could feel her leg trembling and her small body shivered as a cold wind blew.

"You should get back home." Terrell said again.

Clementine shook her head. "I don't feel like going home right now. Don't worry about me."

"I'm on guard duty. It's basically my job to worry about you, kid."

Clementine sighed at that. "Like I said, I can handle myself."

"Well, I'm not just going to leave you out here."

Clementine opened her mouth to speak but didn't get the chance to before she heard Kenny call out to her. The girl flinched. She knew she was going to be in trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks the gaara king of the sand and G0nna6of4rk1d for the help.**_

* * *

When Kenny noticed little Clementine standing alone with a stranger his protective instinct kicked in. The man wasted no time, rushing over to the two and scooping the young girl into his arms.

Clementine felt a bit embarrassed. "K-Kenny."

"What are you doing out here?" Kenny asked.

"I… I wanted to see Leena…" Clementine stammered.

"You can't just wander off like that!" He said making the girl flinch a bit. He shot a glare at the teen boy in front of him. "And who the hell are you?"

"Relax. I saw her fall and just figured I'd help her out." Terrell said.

"Well, I appreciate the help, but she's fine now." Kenny grumbled out. He didn't trust that boy.

"I understand. I don't want any trouble." Terrell said, taking a step back. "You should be more careful, Clementine."

Clementine didn't have the chance to respond before Kenny was already walking towards the house. She frowned and spoke, "I want to walk…"

Kenny ignored the child as he made his way to the house. He threw the door open and entered before closing it behind him.

"What's wrong with you?" Clementine huffed in annoyance.

"No, what's wrong with you?!" Kenny shot back as he placed the young girl on the couch.

"I-"

Kenny cut her off. "Do you know how dangerous it is to wander off like that? You could've gotten seriously hurt!"

"But I didn't…" Clementine said.

"This time! What the hell is wrong with you?" Kenny exclaimed.

The child immediately threw her hand over her ears. "Stop it! Stop being mean to me!"

Kenny sighed. "Clem, I'm not being mean to you. But you're just a little kid and you can't go around doing whatever you want."

"I want Christa." Clementine muttered. "I want to stay with her."

"Well, Christa's not here, Clementine." Kenny replied. "Like it or not, you're gonna stay here."

"Well, I'd rather be anywhere but here!" Clementine exclaimed.

"That's too bad!" Kenny snapped.

The girl frowned and looked away. "Just leave me alone..."

"I can't. I'm sorry, Clem, but-"

"No you're not..." Clementine stopped him.

"What?"

"You're not sorry!" Clementine said.

"I am, honey." Kenny said.

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't yell at me." Clementine said. "And don't call me honey. I hate that name."

"Okay… I won't call you that. And I am sorry, Clem. I'm sorry that I _have_ to yell at you." Kenny said.

"You don't have to. You want to." Clementine replied.

"Believe me, I don't want to yell at you for wandering off alone in the middle of the night. I just want you to get through your head that you're a little kid and you can't always protect yourself. Hell, Clem, you can barely walk right now." Kenny said.

"I can take care of myself." Clementine stated.

"You haven't shown it." Kenny said. "There's a lot of people out there that don't mind hurting a kid."

"I won't let them hurt me." Clementine argued.

"And how do you expect to stop them?" Kenny questioned.

"I…"

"If somebody wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't be able to do anything. That guy out there, what if he wasn't friendly. What if he wanted to hurt you? What would you have done?" Kenny asked.

Clementine frowned and muttered, "I don't know…"

"Exactly! I'm not being mean here, kid. I'm being honest! I have to be honest because I don't have time to not be." Kenny said. "Your wandering off is going to get everyone around you killed, including yourself."

Clementine felt her heart clench at his words.

"Didn't you learn enough after Savannah? This is why you keep getting hurt. You've already been kidnapped, raped, abused… I would've hoped you'd have learned you lesson by now. Unless you want that shit to happen again…" Kenny trailed off, realizing what he had said. "Shit… I didn't mean that, Clem."

Clementine lowered her gaze. "...You think it was my fault..."

"No, Clem... I promise you I don't..." Kenny said.

Clementine didn't respond, she instead turned away. "You think I'm a whore, don't you?"

"No no no. I would never think that." Kenny sighed. "Clem, just-"

Clementine laid on the couch and frowned. "I don't care what you think… I just want to see my daughter! Everyone's always mean to me for nothing…"

"Clementine I'm just trying to help you…" Kenny said.

The girl didn't respond. Kenny felt his heart break when he heard her start whimpering.

Kenny hesitantly sat beside the girl and started to comfort her. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't mean you yell at you. I just don't want you getting hurt, Clem. You can't just wander off."

It wasn't long until the emotional girl had practically cried herself to sleep.

Kenny sighed. He picked the child up and brought her back to her room to sleep. Crystal was still fast asleep.

Kenny placed Clementine on her bed and tucked the girl in. "Sleep tight, darlin'."

He felt bad for yelling at her, and for making her cry, and especially for bringing up the rape. He had just wanted to make sure the kid was safe, now he felt like he screwed up. He didn't know that boy she had been with, and after everything she went through there was no way he would trust anyone around her so easily, guard or not.

Kenny made his way out of the room and to his own. He climbed into bed and nearly jumped when Sarita spoke.

"Are you okay?"

"I... I'm fine, babe. Don't worry." Kenny tried to force his voice to sound like everything was okay.

Sarita didn't know what to think. "Is Clem okay?"

"She's gonna be… She's just missing Aleena. I can't blame her." Kenny said.

"Me either…" Sarita sighed. "Poor girl."

"She thinks I blame her for what that sick fuck did to her…" Kenny said.

"That's not true…" Sarita frowned.

"She said it herself… And it's my fault…" Kenny frowned. "Sometimes, I just say things the wrong way… Everything's my fault. I should've fucking killed him before he could-"

Sarita sat up and took his hand. "Kenny, what happened wasn't your fault. We couldn't have known..."

"I don't want you to have to make excuses for what happened." Kenny replied.

"I'm not making excuses. I just don't want you to guilt yourself over what happened at the hardware store." Sarita said.

Kenny just sighed, gently pulling his hand from hers. He laid down. "Let's just try to sleep…"

"If that's what you want…" Sarita said. "But I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thanks, babe. I love you." Kenny said. "I probably don't say it enough, but I do."

"I love you too, Kenny." Sarita said, laying down as well.

Kenny felt slightly better. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep.

* * *

Clementine woke up in the early morning and checked her daughter's crib to see if her baby was okay. Panic shot through her and she shot upright as she noticed Crystal was no longer in the bassinet.

Clementine climbed from her bed, grabbing Promise she made her way to her wheelchair. After getting inside the child wheeled her way out of the room.

As she entered the living room, she noticed Kenny and Sarita sitting on the couch. Crystal was in Kenny's arms and he was rocking the baby, while AJ toddler around the floor playing with a couple toys.

Sarita looked over to Clementine and offered the child a smile, "Good morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?"

"Umm…okay… I was looking for Crystal." Clementine said.

"She's right here, safe and sound." Kenny said.

"She finished the last of what was in her bottle. So we'll have to refill that later." Sarita told the girl.

"I don't need help. I can refill it by myself." Clementine said.

"Well I'll be there to help if you need me." Sarita said.

"Okay…" Clementine said.

Kenny scratched his neck a bit awkwardly upon hearing that conversation. While it was normal for a mother to nurse their baby, it made him uncomfortable when that mother was a barely twelve-year-old child herself.

He had always thought it was strange how quickly little Clementine had adapted to being a parent. It was so hard to believe the same little girl he had met at the beginning of all this, the same child who was searching desperately for her own mommy and daddy, was now a mother to twins.

"Can I hold Crystal?" Clementine's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Of course you can, Clem." Kenny handed the baby over and Clementine begin rocking her.

"She's still so small… It's like they barely grow." Clementine muttered.

"That's just how it is with preemies. A lot of things are different with them than a full-term baby." Sarita said. "That's why we go by their adjusted age rather than their actual age."

"When's their birthday?" Clementine asked.

"It should have been in September, according to Carlos. But we think they were born sometime in July. We said July second, but no one knows for sure. All we know is they were born at least eleven weeks early." Sarita said.

"It's crazy that they were born eleven weeks early to an eleven-year-old kid." Kenny huffed.

"Eleven weeks seems so…long." Clementine said.

"It is, hon." Kenny replied.

"That's why Aleena's sick?" Clementine asked.

"She's doing better." Kenny said.

"But the doctors want to put a tube in her throat." The child frowned.

"To help her breathe. And its last resort, remember. Only if the breathing therapy doesn't work. Nothing guaranteed yet." Kenny said.

Clementine lowered her gaze. "I just want her to come home. It's not fair…"

"I know, hon. Tell you what, I'll take you to the hospital, and maybe you can spend the night with Aleena." Kenny said.

"Christa won't let me." Clementine pouted.

"I'll talk to her." Kenny replied.

"Like that will help." Clementine scoffed.

Kenny raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Clementine didn't bother to respond.

Sarita could sense some tension building and quickly spoke, "How about we get some breakfast?" She suggested.

"Yeah. Breakfast sounds nice…" Kenny said.

"Great." Sarita smiled. "I'll go wake Sarah and Becca."

"You do that, hon." Kenny said. "We'll head to the kitchen."

Sarita gave a hesitant nod before walking off to wake the teens.

Silence with the room. The only sounds were AJ's babbling as the tiny boy continued toddling around, Crystal's cooing.

"You mad at me, Clem?" Kenny asked after a moment or two.

"About what?" Clementine asked back.

"You tell me? You mad about last night?" Kenny questioned.

"…I don't know…" Clementine admit.

"I was only trying to protect you, Clem. I know I said some things that were harsh, but-"

"Do you think it's my fault?" Clementine asked.

"No, Clem. I don't. I don't know why I even said that." Kenny said.

"How do I know that?" Clementine asked. "If it was my fault, just tell me…"

"It wasn't your fault, Clementine. I say some stupid shit sometimes, you know that. I was just trying to get you to stop wandering off." Kenny said. "We all just want to protect you."

Clementine frowned. "Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe I don't want you to."

"Don't be stupid…" Kenny said.

"I'm not. You said it yourself, I get people killed. I don't want anyone else to die because of me." Clementine said.

Kenny sighed at that. "Some of the things I said last night, I shouldn't have. You don't get people killed. And the… rape was not your fault…"

"I got Lee killed. Maybe being raped was a punishment for that." Clementine said.

"Don't say that. No one deserves to be raped." Kenny said.

"But-"

Kenny cut her off. "Lee made a choice to keep you safe, just like we're doing right now. Christa, Sarita, and me, we'll protect you kids with our lives."

Clementine bit her lip, lowering her gaze. "I know…"

That's what she was afraid of.

"Come on," Kenny scooped AJ into his arms. "Let's get to the kitchen."

Clementine didn't protest. She didn't know how to feel about the conversation last night, or the conversation just now. She was confused about everything right now.

She hated being confused.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet and a bit awkward. Everyone was eating, Sarita was helping feed AJ some oatmeal. Crystal was in a baby bouncer, on the verge of drifting to sleep.

Clementine, however, hadn't touched her food. She was seated with her thumb in her mouth.

"Clementine, take your thumb out your mouth." Kenny spoke up.

Sarita sighed, "Kenny…"

"It's alright, hon." Kenny stopped her. "Clem, come on. Get your thumb out your mouth."

"Why?" Clementine asked, keeping her thumb in her mouth.

"Because you shouldn't be sucking your thumb. Come on, eat some breakfast." Kenny said.

The child shook her head. "I don't want to…"

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Becca asked.

"Not hungry…" Clementine shrugged.

"Come on, Clementine. You gotta eat something." Kenny said.

Clementine finally pulled her thumb from her mouth and asked, "When can I go see Aleena?"

"How about you finish your breakfast first." Kenny replied.

"I can't eat. I feel sick." Clementine said.

Sarita frowned at that and placed a hand on the child's forehead. "Well, you feel a little warm…"

"She's always warm…" Kenny said.

Sarita took that as a cue to get the child's medicine.

"You got a headache, or a stomachache, hon?" Kenny asked.

"No…" Clementine shook her head. "I'm not sick like that…"

"Then what are you sick like?" Becca asked.

"I… I think I'm nervous sick…" Clementine muttered. "I want to see my daughter. Every second I'm away from her I feel terrible."

"She's alright. And I promise to take you to see her right after breakfast." Kenny said.

"And Crystal too?" Clementine asked.

"Sure, Clem." Kenny nodded.

"Good." Clementine said.

"I thought she'd be home by now. What exactly is wrong with her?" Becca asked.

"She has some kind of breathing disease or something. It's pretty much like it was when she was just born. The good thing is we got a hospital and more than one doctor to help her now." Kenny did his best to explain.

"She was sick when she was born?" Clementine asked.

Kenny nodded. "She's always had problems with her breathing. She was born with the umbilical cord around her neck-"

Clementine looked concerned and confused. "W-Why would someone put a cord around my baby's neck?"

"They didn't, darlin'." Kenny said. "The umbilical cord is something babies are born with. It's what keeps them attached to their mother."

Clementine looked confused by those words, "Attached… to me?"

"You're confusing her, Kenny." Sarita said, coming back with the child's medicine. "Here, Clem. Take your medicine."

Clementine sighed. "It doesn't do anything."

"You have to take it, sweetie. It keeps you healthy." Sarita said.

"Why should I be healthy, if my baby is sick?" Clementine argued.

"Oh my God…." Becca groaned, drawing the attention to herself.

"What?" Clementine inquired.

"Just because Aleena's sick doesn't mean you need to make yourself sick. You could die without the medicine." Becca said.

"Maybe it would be better that way." Clementine shrugged.

"Don't say that, Clementine." Kenny said. "I don't want to hear you talk like that."

"Why not?" Clementine asked.

"Because it's stupid! If you die, you leave two kids without a mother. You're the only parent the twins have, and you want to take that away from them?" Becca hissed.

"Of course not!" Clementine said.

"Then stop talking like you want to kill yourself. We've lost enough." Becca stood from the table.

"Becca," Sarita called with a frown.

"Just let her go, hon." Kenny said.

Becca started to her room but stopped as a knock came at the front door. She hesitantly made her way over, pulling it open to reveal Edith.

"Good morning." Edith smiled.

"Edith?" Becca raised a brow.

"May I come in?" Edith asked.

Becca stepped out the way to let the woman inside. "Everyone's in the kitchen…"

Edith nodded and made her way to the kitchen with Becca following.

Kenny and Sarita exchanged looks before standing to greet the woman.

"I heard quite a bit of noise. I hope now's not a bad time?" Edith asked.

"No no… Is everything alright?" Sarita said.

"I just wanted to check in, see how you guys were settling." Edith said.

Kenny scratched his head. "Umm… Things are okay."

"I've saw Christa and the baby today." Edith told them.

Clementine's eyes widened upon hearing that. "Aleena. How is she?" Clementine asked.

"She seemed okay. She's a pretty happy baby, isn't she?" Edith said.

"She can be…" Clementine said. "I just want to know when she can come home."

"I'm sorry, sweetie. You'll have to ask the doctor that." Edith said.

Clementine sighed but nodded.

"Well, we appreciate you checking in on us." Sarita said.

"Of course. I'm glad you guys are getting more comfortable… But like I mentioned before, Wellington is full, we're lucky we were about to squeeze you guys in…" Edith replied.

"What's your point?" Kenny questioned.

"My point is with so many people to provide for it's only a matter of time before we run out of supplies. Which is why we need everyone to pitch in and pull their own weight." Edith said. "This place would fall apart if everyone didn't do what they can to help it function. Now we're not asking much from the kids. Just that they go to school and-"

"Hold on." Becca interrupted. "School?"

"That's right." Edith said.

"What for?" Becca asked.

"Well, it's important to have an education." Edith responded.

"I don't think a diploma saves anyone from becoming walker food. So what's the point of going?" Becca replied.

"Becca, be nice." Sarita said. "It's not actually a bad idea."

"It's just pointless." Becca scoffed.

"Well, you would learn the basic school subjects along with survival skills…" Edith explained.

"Survival skills are the only thing you guys should be teaching." Becca said. "Anyway, I know how to shoot, so you don't have to worry about teaching me."

"Well, it's always good to have more practice." Edith said. "We wouldn't want to send anyone out there unprepared and we not to make sure the children are properly trained."

"The kids know how to shoot. I mean, it wouldn't hurt to brush up on their defense skills but know the basics." Kenny said.

"My dad said I shouldn't shoot without him." Sarah piped in.

"Then I guess you'll never touch a gun again. Because your dad's not coming back." Becca said.

Sarah frowned. "Don't say that."

"It's true and know it." Becca said. "He's gone, Sarah. You have to accept that."

"You're so mean! I don't have to listen to anything you say." Sarah said.

"Girls, settle down." Sarita said.

"Look, it's not just about survival. School is important. And I'm sure you'll like it. You'll meet a lot of new people." Edith said.

"I used to like school. I just didn't like the bullies." Sarah said.

"Well, there aren't any bullies there. What about you, Clementine? Would you like to go to school?" Edith asked.

Clementine furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"Why not?" Edith wondered.

"I don't want to. I want to stay with my girls." Clementine said.

"I'm sure you do. But you're still a kid. You should be able to be one. School gives you that opportunity. You'll meet other children, make friends." Edith said.

Clementine hummed. "Promise is my best friend. I don't need another.

"Promise is just a stupid toy." Becca said.

"He's not! He real." Clementine stated.

"Both you and Sarah are completely delusional. You know what, maybe school's not a bad idea. At least I could meet some normal people there." Becca once again turned to leave the room.

Kenny sighed. "Sarah, Clem, how about you two take AJ in the other room to play."

"What about Crystal?" Clementine asked.

"Crystal's fine. Just let her rest, sweetie." Sarita said.

"Okay…" Clementine said.

Sarah picked up the AJ from his highchair and she and Clementine headed to the other room with the toddler.

"I'm sorry…. It's been a long few days." Sarita told Edith.

"I can tell. I'm sure things aren't easy for you, but we need to make sure everyone is pulling their weight." Edith said.

"Whatever you need me to do, just let me know. You want me to hunt or take guard duty, fine. But one of us has to be here with the kids." Kenny said.

"You don't think Sarah or Becca could look after the younger ones? Surely they can manage for a few hours." Edith replied.

"Manage to burn the place down…" Kenny muttered, causing Sarita to give him a look.

"We wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the children alone." Sarita rephrased.

"Okay… That's understandable… But we still need one, or both of you to do as much as you can to help keep this place safe." Edith said.

"And we will…" Sarita said.

"I appreciate it." Edith said. "I know it might be stressful right now, but hopefully things ease up soon… And I know the kids might be nervous about attending school, but I think it will be good for them. We want to give the kids time to be kids. They deserve it. And we'll do whatever we can to protect them. Children are rare."

"Yeah, they are…" Sarita agreed.

"This came out of nowhere… Can I ask why you're acting like you're drafting people for war." Kenny asked.

Edith frowned, looking hesitant to talk. "We had a group a little while back… Things got pretty aggressive… so we had no choice but to kick them out…"

"What?" Kenny asked, eyes widening in surprise.

Kenny and Sarita both felt their stomachs drop as they awaited the next words to come from Edith's mouth.

Edith spoke again, "We're worried they might come back… And we need everyone to be ready in case they do…"

* * *

After Edith had left Kenny did as he promised and took little Clementine and Crystal to see Aleena. However, upon arriving at the hospital, Clementine got cold feet.

"I... I don't want to go in..." Clementine said with a fown.

Kenny raised a brow, "Why not?"

Clementine lowered her gaze and shrugged.

"Clem, come on. You practically begged me to bring you here." Kenny said.

"I know but… but I can't see her…" Clementine said.

"Don't you want to?" Kenny asked.

Clementine nodded. "I want to… But I feel guilty."

Kenny frowned and knelt to her level. "What's there to feel guilty about, Clem? You did nothing wrong."

"How can I not? My baby is sick, and I feel like I can't do anything to help." Clementine said.

"Believe me, darlin'. I know how you feel right now." Kenny said with a sigh. "When Duck was… when Duck was dying, I felt powerless. I wanted to take his place, but there was nothing I could do. And I feel guilty to this day…" Kenny paused for a moment. "But Aleena has a chance… She has a better chance here than she would anywhere else. This place has doctors and a hospital. And I'm certain that they'll do everything in their power to make sure that baby is okay."

"I hope so…" Clementine mumbled.

"I know they will. You gotta be positive for her." Kenny said.

"I'm trying to." Clementine muttered.

"I know you are. Come on. I'm sure she wants to see her mommy." Kenny urged the child to enter the room.

Clementine gave a tiny nod, finally giving in. "Okay…"

Kenny gave a knock on the door and after a moment heard Christa call, "Come in."

Kenny entered the room, helping Clementine inside while carrying Crystal. "Hey there."

"Hey." Christa said. "How are you three doing?"

"We're good. How's the little princess?" Kenny asked.

"She's okay. She's been a bit cranky today. I had her doing tummy time earlier, but she hates it." Christa said, sounding a bit amused.

"So does Crystal." Kenny said. "But Alvie seemed okay with it."

"AJ hardly ever cries…" Clementine said.

"He cries. I think you're just good at calming him down." Kenny said.

Clementine smiled at that. "Can I hold Aleena, please?"

"Sure you can." Christa said, standing to pick up the baby from her crib. "Edith brought her a little musical mobile for her crib. She loves it."

"When's she coming home? They said a few days…" Clementine said.

"And it's only been one day. Nothing's changed, Clem." Christa handed Aleena to Clementine.

"So when Edith dropped by here… Did she mention to you about what's going on?" Kenny asked.

Christa nodded. "Yeah… She did."

"What's going on?" Clementine questioned.

Christa looked to the child then back to Kenny. "I don't know what to think."

"Think about what? I want to know…" Clementine spoke up again.

"It's nothing, Clem…" Kenny sighed.

"Is it about the school? I don't want to go, Christa…" Clementine said.

"Why wouldn't you want to go to school, Clem?" Christa asked the girl.

"Because everybody there will think I'm a whore." Clementine said.

Kenny and Christa both flinched at that.

"Clem, you know you're not supposed to talk like that." Christa said. "You're not a whore."

"Carver says I am." Clementine frowned. "And when people here found out the twins are my babies, they look at me funny."

"Because they're surprised, darlin'." Kenny said. "You're not a whore."

"Then why does Carver call me it?" Clementine asked.

"Carver's dead, Clementine. And whatever he said to you isn't true." Christa said.

"He says he's the twins' daddy. And that he's AJ's daddy too." Clementine said. "Is that true."

"It's not. Don't believe anything that shitbird says. It ain't real." Kenny said. "Nothing he says is true."

"Sometimes he tells the truth…" Clementine muttered.

"Don't trust anything he says, Clementine. Ever." Christa said.

"O-Okay… My baby's not going to die, right?" Clementine asked.

"Of course not. Don't even think like that." Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine said. "Can I…spend the night?"

"Clem…" Christa bit back a sigh.

"I figured it might be okay for one night…" Kenny spoke up. "I think she needs it…"

Christa paused for a moment before sighing, "Alright, fine. One night."

"Really?" Clementine beamed.

"Yes, Clem, really." Christa said.

"Thanks." Clementine said.

Kenny sighed in relief. "I'm gonna head home. I gotta get ready for my shift tonight."

"Shift?" Christa asked.

"Edith wants me taking guard duty. I don't mind, but it ain't easy doing that while worrying about the kids." Kenny explained. He gently placed Crystal into Clementine's arms beside Aleena. "You three be good."

"Wait." Christa called.

Kenny looked over to her.

"I need to talk to you." Christa said.

"Alright." Kenny said.

"Clem, sit tight for a minute." Christa said.

The child gave a nod.

Christa and Kenny stepped into the hallway to speak in private.

"I'm starting to think maybe we should start looking elsewhere." Christa said.

"You're kidding, right? After all we went through to get here, to get in?" Kenny frowned.

"After all we've been through, I want to feel safe for once. And after what Edith said, I don't know if I do." Christa said.

"But we can make it safe. There's no way we're leaving this place." Kenny said. "Wellington is the best chance we have. If we go out there, we're screw. Those kids would probably die out there."

"I'm tired of putting the kids at risk. I told you guys already I was done with groups." Christa said.

"And then we stumble upon this place. Christa, this is a safe haven. No one's getting in without a fight. We're a lot better armed, and we have more people than we did at the last town. We'll be fine." Kenny said.

Christa sighed. "We better be…."

"We will… I'll check on you guys later on." Kenny said. "In case you need anything."

Christa nodded. "Be careful."

Kenny walked off and Christa headed back into the room. She didn't know if she could trust that this place was safe anymore.

* * *

When a knock came at Becca's door she sighed, "Come in."

Sarita stepped into the room. "Hey, sweetie. Can we talk?"

Becca fought back a groan as she looked up from the playing cards she was messing with. "What's up?"

"I wanted to know if you were upset at Sarah and Clementine for something?" Sarita asked.

"I just… they both annoy me sometimes." Becca admitted.

"Did they do something wrong?" Sarita wondered.

Becca nearly rolled her eyes. "Do you not see how they act? It's annoying."

"I'm sure they don't intend to get on your nerves." Sarita said.

"But they do anyway." Becca said. "Sarah acts like a complete baby. And Clementine, she's just always doing something wrong and getting away with it."

"Sarah's been sheltered, and to suddenly lose her father like that… It's hard on her." Sarita said.

"We all lost people." Becca said. "No one else is sitting around like a baby."

"It's hard. Everyone grieves differently…" Sarita explained. "I just want everyone to get along. Can't you be nicer to them?"

"To Sarah, maybe. But Clem, I don't know right now…" Becca said.

"What did Clem do to you this time?" Sarita was almost used to Clementine's and Becca's feuds every now and then.

"Did you not hear what she said this morning? About how she didn't care about being healthy." Becca replied.

"She's a little kid, Becca. She doesn't mean that." Sarita sighed.

"How do you know? Are you forgetting how she used to cut herself?" Becca inquired.

"Of course not but knowing that she used to self-harm why do you keep vexing her. She has enough grief. Don't add to it." Sarita said.

"She doesn't care about her life, she selfish." Becca said.

"Becca-"

"My sister died for her! Shel got bit protecting Clementine, so she could live. If Clem's willing to kill herself, then she doesn't care about my sister's sacrifice, so I can't be nice to her!" Becca lowered her voice, looking down. "Shel was the only family I had. Now I have no one..."

"Honey, you do have people. You still have a family." Sarita said.

"My whole family is dead." Becca said.

Sarita shook her head. "Family is much more than just blood. Family is what you make it."

Becca felt depression wash over her and she said, "I… I want to be alone. Please."

"Okay, sweetie. I understand." Sarita said.

Becca sighed as the woman left. She stood up, noticing a familiar teddy bear on the floor. She assumed either AJ had gotten hold of it and brought it in the room, or Clementine had left it. She made her way over to the toy and slowly picked it up…

* * *

"How about we get some lunch?" Christa suggested after a while of Clementine playing with the twins.

"Where?" Clementine asked.

"In the cafeteria." Christa replied.

"What about the twins?"

"We can take them with us." Christa said.

"But… I thought Aleena needs her breathing machine." Clementine said.

"She doesn't need the oxygen machine all the time. She'll be okay while we eat." Christa said.

"Okay." Clementine said.

Christa put the twins in the cradle, so they wouldn't have to carry them, and they made their way out the room.

Once they got to the cafeteria Christa was greeted by a woman. "Hello, Christa."

"Hey, Patricia. How are you?" Christa said.

"I'm good." Patricia looked to Clementine with a smile. "And who is this little one?"

"This is Clementine. And Crystal's here too, she's Aleena's twin." Christa motioned to the cradle.

Patricia took a look inside at the twins and nearly squealed in delight. "They are so adorable."

"Thank you." Christa said.

As Patricia and Christa chatted away, Clementine caught sight of a young boy. The boy seemed a little older than her, had dark skin and was wearing a blue sweater. Clementine decided to head over and see what he was up to.

He appeared to be reading a book.

"Hi." Clementine said.

The boy jumped slightly and looked to her. "Hey."

"What are you reading?" The girl asked.

"It's a book about magic creatures…" The boy said.

"That's cool." Clementine said with a smile.

The boy scanned her face. "I haven't seen you around. Are you new?"

"Yeah. My name's Clementine." Clementine said.

"I'm Gill." The boy said.

"Nice to meet you." Clementine said.

"You too." Gill replied.

"Why are you here, in the hospital, I mean?" Clementine asked.

"My mom helps out here a lot. So I just tag along sometimes." Gill explained.

"Is she a doctor?" Clementine questioned.

"Not really. She has some medical experience." Gill said.

"Christa went to medical school. And my mom was a doctor." Clementine said.

"Your mom? Is that her talking to my mom?" Gill motioned over to Christa.

"Christa's my friend…" Clementine replied. "My parents are gone…"

Gill's eyes widened. "Oh… Sorry… I uh… lost my dad a few months ago…"

"That's awful…" Clementine said. "I'm sorry…"

"Yeah…" Gill sighed.

A brief silence fell before Gill spoke again.

"If you want to play with anything here, help yourself."

"Are you sure?" Clementine asked.

Gill nodded. "You can borrow one of my books, or you can ask my mom for something to color with. They have plenty of coloring books in the waiting room."

"Thanks." Clementine smiled.

"Clem," Christa called but quickly sighed as she spotted the child.

"Looks like she's getting along with Gill." Patricia said.

"He's your son, right?" Christa asked.

Patricia nodded. "I'm sure they'll be good friends. Not all the kids here are… nice. It'll be good if those two get along."

"Well, I guess this is a good start then." Christa said.

Patricia nodded in agreement. "I guess so."

* * *

Sarita watched as Kenny got ready for his shift grabbing a flashlight and a couple small objects for his shift.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take tonight's shift?" Sarita asked Kenny.

"It's too dangerous…" Kenny replied.

"Kenny, I know how to take care of myself." Sarita said.

"I know, hon. But I don't like the thought of you being out there so late." Kenny said.

"I don't like the thought of you being out there either." Sarita responded.

"Well, one of us has to go. And I would rather it be me…" Kenny said.

Sarita sighed at that. "I… Just be careful, Kenny. Please."

"I will. Believe me." Kenny said.

Sarita hoped he would.

* * *

After lunch Christa had took Clementine and the twins back to their room.

The twins had fallen asleep. Christa had tucked the twin into the crib together. Clementine was seated on the bed, coloring in a coloring book she had been given by Patricia. The woman had gone on and on about how cute Clementine and the twins were, and how Clementine and her son could become playmates.

Christa thought it would be good for Clementine to make a friend her own age.

"How are you holding up, Clem?" Christa asked.

"I…I'm okay…" Clementine said. "Christa… How long are we staying here?"

"I told you, Leena has to stay for a few days." Christa said.

Clementine shook her head. "I mean here, in Wellington."

Christa was surprised by that question. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I heard you and Kenny talking earlier…" Clementine shrugged. "I thought we would have to leave soon."

"…This is our home now." Christa told the little child.

Clementine sent her a serious look. "Is it?"

"Yes, Clem. It is…" Christa said.

"It doesn't feel like home."

"I know…" Christa couldn't help but agree. No matter how welcoming or how familiar this place was, it wouldn't be _home_. And how they all longed for a home. Christa hoped it would start to feel that way soon. "But we'll make it feel like home…"

Clementine didn't respond. She just went back to her coloring.

* * *

When Sarah noticed Becca enter the living room with Clementine's bear the teen was confused. She looked up from the block toward she was helping AJ build and raised a brow. "Why do you have that?"

"I found it. Clem must've left it." Becca said.

"It's not yours… I don't think you're going to do something nice with it." Sarah said.

"I didn't say I planned on doing anything with it. Why do you care anyway?" Becca replied.

"Because it's Clementine's." Sarah said.

"Clementine's so special, isn't she?" Becca huffed. "Why don't you go pretend your dad's alive or something?"

"My- My dad is alive…" Sarah stammered.

"Do you really think that? Or are you just tell yourself that to feel better?" Becca asked.

Sarah frowned, Becca didn't understand. Sarah had never been the best at handling difficult situations. She always tried to avoid them, but this was something she couldn't avoid. She pretended to help her cope, to help her function. It was the only thing that helped her through the day. She knew it was lying, but the lie was easier than accepting the truth.

Sarah had never prepared herself for living without her father. She had counted on the man since birth. The passing days had felt hazy, almost like a dream.

"Dad will never die. That can't happen." Sarah said.

Becca groaned and turned to leave the room.

AJ whimpered a bit, sensing the distress of the two teens but Sarah quickly comforted him.

Sarah had to pretend to protect herself. Even if it meant people didn't understand… Even if they called her crazy…

* * *

"You bored?" Christa asked as she noticed Clementine place her coloring book down.

Clementine shrugged. "I don't have Promise… He's back home."

"Maybe Kenny will bring him later." Christa said.

"Can I go explore?" The girl asked.

"Clem, this is a hospital. There's not much to see here." Christa said.

"I mean… can I go outside?" Clementine asked.

Christa paused. "It's cold out there."

"Just for a little while? Please?" Clementine pleaded.

Christa sighed. "I don't know."

"Please. I just want to play for a little bit." Clementine said. "Maybe Gill can play too."

"Fine… Just don't go far." Christa said. "And come back before it gets dark."

"Okay!" Clementine agreed.

Clementine left the room, hoping she would find Gill and convince him to play with her. However, when she couldn't find the boy she decided to play alone for a while. The girl managed to get outside and began touring around the area until she heard a sudden voice call to her.

"Hey, it's Clementine, right?" Terrell said.

Clementine jumped slight and looked to the older boy. She could see his features a lot clearer now. He had light skin, dark black hair, but what stood out to her was his blue eyes. "Y-Yeah." She noticed he was on a motorcycle and gasped. "You know how to ride a motorcycle? That's so cool!"

"You think so?" Terrell asked.

Clementine nodded.

"So what are you up to, kid?" Terrell asked.

"I came here to see my daughter. But both my daughters are sleeping right now, so Christa told me I could explore." Clementine said.

"All alone? So I'm guessing you haven't meet any of the other kids here yet?" Terrell asked.

"I met one kid. He seemed nice." Clementine said.

"That's good. I guess it's been a bit cold for anyone to really wanna play outside." Terrell replied.

"Edith said there's a school around here. Where is it?" Clementine asked.

"Not far. It's a small little schoolhouse by the woods, nothing fancy. But I do lead the shooting class every now and then." Terrell said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You know how to shoot a gun?" Terrell asked.

"My friend Lee taught me." Clementine said.

"That's cool. I bet you're a crack shot already." Terrell said.

"I don't know about that…" The girl said a bit shyly.

"Oh, don't be modest. I'm sure you're awesome." Terrell replied.

"…So what are you doing?" Clementine asked.

"Just patrolling, like usual. Things are quiet, probably cause it's too cold for people to stir up trouble." Terrell said to her.

"That's a good thing. Do people usually cause trouble?" Clementine asked in a worried tone.

"Not since I got here. But I haven't really been here too long, to be honest." Terrell said. "Got here a little before you."

"Oh." Clementine said. "Well, I hope there's no trouble."

"So you're just gonna be here playing on your own?" Terrell questioned.

"I usually play with Sarah and Becca, but they're not here. And I doubt they would want to play anyway." Clementine explained, both of her friend had been so glum lately.

"That sucks."

"Yeah. Promise always plays with me." Clementine said.

"Who's Promise?"

"My best friend. The only one who's always nice to me." Clementine said.

"Well, where is he?" Terrell asked.

"He's at the house too…" Clementine sighed.

Terrell was quiet for a moment. "How about you hang out with me for a bit?"

Clementine was surprised by that.

"I'll take you for a ride, if you want." Terrell offered.

"I... I don't know..." Clementine said.

The girl was hesitant, though his offer was tempting. She slowly stood from her wheelchair.

"Hop on." Terrell encouraged her.

With a bit more hesitation she did so, and they were off.

It was exhilarating. The child was having fun. Clementineloved it.

* * *

Christa sat in the recliner by the twins' crib as the two babies slept. She was reading through a book but would glance to the door every now and then. She was worried about letting Clementine go off to play alone, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to let the child have some independence for a while. For all she knew the little girl had just gone to play with Gill.

She turned her attention back to book; however, a little cough pulled her gaze to the cradle. She stood to check on the twins, both were still fast asleep.

She sighed and sat back down. Clementine's words suddenly rang through her head. _"Is my baby going to die?"_

Christa would be lying if she said that she didn't worry about the possibility of losing one of the twins. Sure, they were in a town with a hospital, but these doctors had to make do with what they had, and though all the medicine and equipment seemed like a lot, Christa knew it wasn't much.

She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to Crystal or Aleena. No, the twins weren't her children, and they would never replace the child that Christa had lost, but she loved them with all her heart.

Her chest clenched at the thought of her own baby. To think her child would nearly be three by now…

She wondered how different things would be if Omid had lived. Maybe she would have had a successful labor. Maybe she and Clementine would've never gotten separated. Maybe they would have found some place safe, somewhere they could be happy…

She couldn't help but feel guilty. She had been so grief-stricken and stressed after losing Omid, she was sure it caused complications with her pregnancy. She couldn't help but be angry with herself for losing her baby. And now she felt even worse having realized she had emotionally neglected Clementine.

She was just glad she had an opportunity to make up for everything with Clementine… And a second chance with the twins.

* * *

They rode around for a while before Terrell suddenly stopped. Clementine took a look around and noticed they were in a wooded area.

"This is where we usually hold target practice. Not too far from town, but not close enough that the noise will draw the dead to our doorsteps." Terrell explained.

"It's nice here." The area was pretty, Clementine did like it.

"Yeah, it is." Terrell said. "Want to take a few shots?"

"Are you sure?" Clementine asked.

"Sure, I want to see how much you know." Terrell said.

"But I might not do good." Clementine said, hesitant to shoot in front of him.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"A-Alright." Clementine said.

Terrell handed her his gun, and Clementine felt at that moment she could truly trust him. No one would hand someone a gun if they had bad intentions.

"Here, I'll help you balance, and you can take some practice shots at the tree." Terrell said.

"I… I don't need help." She felt a little embarrassed at the idea.

"Okay… Well, then lean on the motorcycle if you have to." Terrell said.

Clementine gave a nod.

"Alright. Let's see how well your friend taught you."

Clementine aimed the gun, lined with the tree, she pulled the trigger.

* * *

Christa didn't know how long Clementine had been "exploring".

The twins had woken up. Christa tended to them, while waiting for Clementine to return. Christa looked over to the window. It was starting to get dark. She wondered where the girl was.

Suddenly she heard the doorknob moved and looked over as it opened, expecting to see Clementine. However, it was a nurse.

"Have you seen a little girl out there." Christa asked.

"The little girl who was here earlier?" The nurse questioned.

"Yeah. Her." Christa confirmed.

"No sorry. Not since she headed outside…" The nurse said.

Christa frowned and placed the twins back into the cradle. "Can… Can you keep an eye on them? I got to go find her." As much as she didn't want to leave the twins, she needed to find Clementine. And she knew this nurse would take good care of the twins, considering she'd watch the nurses' interaction with Aleena.

"Of course." The nurse said.

"Thank you."

The nurse opened her mouth to speak but Christa had already rushed from the room.

Christa started searching for the child in the hospital. She asked anyone she could if they had seen the girl, giving a description of Clementine down to the grey jeans, and pink sweater the girl was wearing.

After realizing Clementine wasn't in the building Christa began searching outside. When she got outside and notice an abandoned wheelchair, she immediately knew it was Clementine's. The woman felt panic start to rise in her but remained outwardly calm.

Fear bolted through Christa as endless scenarios flashed in the back of her head. Clementine couldn't have gotten far without that chair; the girl could barely walk. So either she was still in the area, or someone had to be with her.

She called out to the child a couple times getting no response. She decided to head to the house, hoping that she would find the girl there.

Christa broke into a sprint, not slowing until she made it to the house.

When the woman finally made it to the door, she was complete out of breath, but that didn't stop her from delivering a hard knock.

Kenny opened it and raised a brow. "Christa? What are you-"

Christa didn't give him the change to finish before she asked, "Where's Clementine?"

* * *

The two didn't know how long they had been caught in their shooting session. They had passed the gun between each other until Terrell had run out of bullets.

"Well, I guess that puts an end to that." Terrell sighed. "Not too bad. You're a pretty good shot."

"Thanks." Clementine said. "The gun makes my hands hurt a bit though…"

"You'll get used to it." Terrell said.

"It's getting dark." Clementine frowned.

"You scared of the dark?" Terrell asked.

"…Maybe sometimes…" Clementine said. "But Christa said be back before it gets dark."

"So who was that guy who snatched you up last night? If this Christa is looking after you?" Terrell questioned.

"Kenny… Him and Sarita look after me too… Kind of…" Clementine said.

"So they're people from your group. I'm surprised Edith and the others let an entire group in." Terrell said.

"It's a long story…"

"I bet…" Terrell said. "Come on. We should get you back to the hospital."

"Yeah, Christa said not to go too far… But I wanted to get Promise…" Clementine said.

"Maybe we can grab him on the way." Terrell suggested.

"Really?"

Terrell nodded. "I don't see why not."

"Thanks." Clementine climbed back onto the motorcycle with slight struggle.

"Comfy." Terrell asked.

"Y-Yeah." Clementine stammered.

"Good. Hold on tight." Terrell started driving as Clementine clutched to him.

The girl felt a slight flush on her cheeks. She was glad the older boy couldn't see her face.

* * *

Kenny felt his stomach drop at Christa's word. The woman forced her way pass him and started looking around, calling out to Clementine. "Christa, she's not here. What do you mean, where is she?"

"I can't find her." Christa said.

"I left her with you." Kenny grumbled.

"I let her go play for a bit. Told her not to go far, but she obviously didn't listen." Christa said.

"You let her play where? And with who?" Kenny demanded.

"She was by herself. I thought she'd go find one of the kids she was with earlier. She just wanted to explore, Kenny. I'm not going to stop her from being a kid." Christa said. "There's nothing wrong with letting her play."

"But what if she got hurt or… or what if she got kidnapped?" Kenny snapped.

"She didn't get kidnapped. There's no way." Sarita said.

"And how do you know that, Sarita?" Kenny questioned.

"This town is supposed to be safe. They kicked out people for causing trouble before, so I'm sure they wouldn't keep someone around who could potentially harm a child. Edith said it herself, children are rare." Sarita said.

"She still could've gotten hurt." Kenny grumbled. "Where are the twins?"

"At the hospital." Christa said.

"You left them too?!" Kenny hissed.

"What choice did I have? I had to check on, Clementine. Anyway, the twins are fine. The nurses are there, and I've seen how they are with Aleena. They wouldn't hurt the twins." Christa said.

"You act like you don't know what people are capable of. Ain't nothing wrong with letting Clem play, but there is something wrong with not keeping an eye on her." Kenny said.

"Don't even start with this, Kenny." Christa said.

"Why shouldn't I?" Kenny asked.

"Because you're being a damn hypocrite. I doubt anyone was watching her at that hardware store." Christa retorted.

Kenny feel silent at that.

"Christa, please." Sarita said.

"Please what?" Christa asked.

"Please don't speak like that." Sarita said with a frown.

"Look, I just want to find her before something happens. She doesn't have the wheelchair so, there's no way she could've gotten far on her own." Christa said.

"Then where the hell is she?" Kenny asked.

"I don't know! I-"

Christa was cut off by a tiny knock at the door.

All three adults looked over and Kenny raced to open it. He was surprised to see Clementine standing at the doorway.

"I'm here to get Promise." The child said.

"Where the hell were you?" Kenny inquired.

Clementine furrowed her brows, confused as to why he seemed upset. "I… I was with my friend."

"Friend?" Kenny asked.

Clementine nodded, and Kenny looked over to see the young boy from the night before. He shot the boy a look.

"He brought me to get Promise." Clementine said.

"Christa's here. You had her worried sick." Kenny said.

"Wh-What?" Clementine stammered.

"Thanks for bringing her back, you can go now." Kenny said, in a bit of a harsh tone.

Without hesitation, he tugged Clementine inside, not letting Terrell say a word.

"Wait! I wanted to say goodbye to my friend!" Clementine said.

"He's not your friend, Clementine!" Kenny snapped.

"Yes he is!" Clementine said.

"No, he's not! You don't know that boy!" Kenny said.

"He was nice to me! He let me ride his motorcycle and he brought me to get Promise." Clementine argued.

"Just because someone acts nice doesn't mean they're your friend. He could be trying to trick you." Kenny said, gripping the child tighter.

Clementine frowned at that and tried to tug her arm away from him. "You're hurting me."

"Let her go." Christa said.

"The second I do she'll wander off again." Kenny huffed.

"Kenny, you're overreacting. Let her go." Christa ordered.

"No, I'm not! The problem is everyone just lets her do whatever the hell she wants." Kenny said.

Clementine flinched at his shouting.

"Kenny, just stop!" Christa hissed grabbing the child's other arm.

Clementine suddenly found herself in a tug of war between the two adults.

"Both of you stop!" Sarita pulled the little girl from their grip.

Clementine whimpered a bit as Kenny and Christa continued their bickering.

"It's okay, sweetie." Sarita said, escorting the girl from the room. She led the child to Sarah's and Becca's room before rushing out to try and calm the argument.

* * *

Clementine frowned as she could hear the arguing through the closed door. "They're fighting because of me…"

"I wonder why?" Becca scoffed, causing Clementine to look over to her. "I'm surprise your luck hasn't run out yet."

"My luck?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah. You're probably the luckiest person I know. And you don't realize how lucky you are, do you?" Becca asked.

"I don't feel lucky." Clementine said.

"But you are lucky. Luckier than anyone else." Becca said. "Think about it, everyone in this house has lost their families. Every single one of us. I lost my parents. My sister… My whole family. Shel was the only one I had for so long…"

"I lost people too, Becca. I lost my family. My mommy and daddy told me they'd come back, and they never did. I didn't even get to say goodbye." Clementine said.

"So what? You want a pity party? My sister was the only one I had, and you took that from me." Becca said.

Clementine was stunned at the older girl's words. She couldn't remember any of that. "W-What?"

"She got bit saving you. So every time you do something stupid or say you want to die, it makes my sister's sacrifice seem like it's in vain." Becca said.

Clementine felt her stomach drop. "Becca…I… I didn't mean to…"

"Of course not." Becca scoffed. "You say you didn't get to say goodbye to your parents and you want to do the same to your girls?"

"What?"

"You want to get yourself killed and not give your girls a chance to say goodbye." Becca said.

"That's not true." Clementine argued.

"It is. You're wandering off is stupid. And one day your luck's gonna run out. You're gonna get yourself killed and your kids won't get to say goodbye. Hell, they can't even talk yet." Becca said.

Clementine frowned at that, unsure how to respond.

"You know why I call you lucky?" Becca asked. She continued before the younger girl could respond. "Because you may have lost your parents, but you can never say you lost everything. At least you have your girls."

"You think I'm lucky because of what Carver did to me?" Clementine questioned. She didn't remember everything, but what she did remember was enough to give her nightmare. It was enough to make her feel the opposite of lucky. "If only you knew what I've been through..."

"Everyone's been through a lot. And half the things you go through are your own fault." Becca said.

"Like what?" Clementine asked.

"Like everything. If you really wanted help at Howe's you could've said something. How come Troy got caught so fast, but Carver didn't?" Becca asked.

"I was scared, Becca!" Clementine said then furrowed her brows. "And… Who's Troy…?"

"Troy's the other guy who raped you." Sarah spoke up from the corner of her bed. "He did it in front of me…"

Clementine's eyes widened at that. She didn't know how to respond.

"You're lucky because you've lived this long. One day you're gonna find yourself in a situation you can't get out of." Becca said. "You're lucky those guys didn't kill you after what they did to you."

Clementine felt sick. She had been raped and she was being called lucky. She didn't see how she was lucky, but she muttered, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make anyone worry…. Have… Have either of you seen Promise."

"Give him to her, Becca." Sarah said.

Becca huffed but handed the bear over. "Try not to do anything stupid."

Clementine just nodded, clutching to her bear. She didn't want to argue anymore. She was sick of all the fighting…

* * *

In the living room, the bickering continued. Sarita tried to convince them to calm down, however they continued to argue over how they were better guardian's to little Clementine.

Sarita was at a lost. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want them arguing period, and the fact that they had started this in front of Clementine only worsened it. "Guys, please…"

Her words continuously seemed to go unheard.

The three suddenly caught the buzz of Kenny's radio. "We need everyone to report to the meeting grounds. Immediately." Edith's voice came through.

Christa, Kenny, and Sarita exchanged looks, wondering what was going on…


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been busy with work and college life. And also had been suffering from some writers block. Next chapter should be out much faster than this one.**_

 _ **Thanks a bunch to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

* * *

Kenny made his way to the meeting ground, as Sarita and Christa stayed with the children.

There was commotion going on as Kenny walked towards the others feeling confused. Several other guards were gathered around discussing something.

The one-eyed man quirked a brow and as, "What's going on?"

"We caught someone stealing from us…" Edith said.

"Stealing?" Kenny asked.

"Supplies." Another guard spoke. "He was stealing our supplies.

"To make matters worse, it was one of our own doctors." Edith said.

Kenny's good eye widened. "A doctor…?"

"So what do we do? Stuff like this can't happen. We're already full as it is, and we can't just let someone get away with our supplies." One of the guards said.

"So what do you suggest?" Edith asked.

"We have to punish him somehow…" Another guard spoke.

"How do you know he was stealing. He's a doctor, right? Maybe he was… just sorting the supplies." Kenny shrugged.

"We caught him! We caught him red-handed!" A woman exclaimed.

"This has been going on for a while. Supplies was just going missing, directly from the hospital. We tried to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. We thought maybe our count was wrong, but… now…" Edith trailed off.

"How do we handle this?" One of the men asked. "We need to let everyone know that stuff like this won't be tolerated."

"How…?" Edith asked.

"We kill him." Terrell spoke up in a cold yet calm tone.

Kenny felt his stomach drop at how nonchalant the young boy sounded.

* * *

"Clementine, who was that boy?" Sarita asked.

"He was my friend. I already told you." Clementine said.

Christa sighed at the child's words. "You can't trust everyone you meet, Clem."

"But I thought it was safe here…" Clementine simply said.

"I…" Christa paused for a moment.

"Is it? Or is it not?" Clementine asked.

Christa found herself unable to answer the child.

Sarita spoke up, "It is safe, sweetie."

"Then why can't I trust people. If we're safe doesn't that mean the people here are good?" Clementine asked.

"Not everyone you meet has good intentions." Christa said. "You need to understand that."

"I do…" Clementine said.

"Well, you sure don't act like it." Christa said.

Clementine lowered head, not responding.

Christa shook her own head, letting out a sigh. "We need to get back to the hospital… We can finish our conversation there."

"Am… I in trouble?" The little girl asked.

When Christa didn't answer, Clementine frowned. She took the woman's silence as a yes.

"Christa… take it easy on her…" Sarita spoke up.

Christa paused for a moment before looking to Clementine. "Let's go." Christa said.

* * *

"Come again?" Edith asked, shocked by Terrell's words.

The room had gone silent in surprise until Edith broke that silence.

"I say we kill him." Terrell repeated.

"Hold on… We can't just start killing our own people." Edith said.

"If our own people are willing to steal from us, why not?" Terrell replied.

"He's a doctor… Not a lot of people have medical experience. That's useful." Another guard said.

"Right now, he's nothing but a traitor. We need to think about our people. He's taking food and medicine from families, from kids…" Terrell said.

"Why not kick him out?" One of the other guards suggested.

"Because for all we know he could be with the group from before…" Edith said. "And if they come back…"

"We all know what has to be done." Terrell said.

"Kenny," Edith called, "You've been awful quiet…"

"I don't know him, but if he's trying to leave don't you think he has a reason?" Kenny asked.

"His reason is he's ungrateful." One of the guards scoffed.

"That might be true. Hell, he might be a real shitty person, but I saw that little hospital y'all have set up. From the looks of it there's not too many people there that would actually consider themselves doctors, and you can't exactly do interviews for a new one in this day and age…" Kenny said.

"What's your point." One of the other guards asked.

"Killing him doesn't seem necessary." Kenny said. "I don't see what it would fix."

"It would rid us of a thief." Terrell said.

"But there's other ways to go about handling that." Kenny said.

"What would you suggest?" Edith said.

"Maybe we could… lock him up or something." Kenny said.

"Maybe Kenny has a point." Edith agreed.

"Would you really feel comfortable having a prisoner around? What if he breaks out?" Terrell asked the guards.

"We should put it to a vote." Edith suggested.

The others agreed.

Kenny wasn't shocked by the outcome of the vote. It wasn't much different from how his old group had handled a similar situation. However, this was a doctor. Someone these town people knew well and trusted and they could so easily talk about killing him. It seemed murder in hot blood was acceptable even if there was a shadowy justification, lesser crimes could be excused but thief was unforgivable. To tamper with their cache was threating each person in town.

Still, what actually bothered him the most was Terrell's calm expression through the entirety of the meeting. And he felt sick by how the boy offered to be the one to handle the traitor. This was not someone that he wanted Clementine spending time with.

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Christa asked the little girl with a disapproving tone. "You don't know how worried I was."

"I needed to get Promise! He's my best friend." Clementine said.

"He's a just toy, Clem." Christa argued.

Clementine shook her head. "He's not just a toy."

"He is!"

"He is not! He's my friend!" Clementine said.

"Regardless, you should've thought before you went looking for him without telling me. You can't keep wandering off. It's getting ridiculous. Now settle down before you wake the twins." Christa said.

Clementine quieted down as she glanced over to the sleeping daughters. "Terrell wasn't going to hurt me."

"You don't know that." Christa replied.

"Yes I do. If he wanted to hurt me he wouldn't have put a gun in my hands. He just took me shooting that's all." Clementine said.

"And what if he had taken you somewhere else? What then?" Christa questioned. "You have to think, Clementine."

"Edith said it's safe here. And Terrell's a guard. He wouldn't do anything naughty." Clementine said.

"I get that, but this has nothing to do with Terrell." Christa said.

"Then what is it? Why are you so angry?" Clementine asked.

"Because you putting yourself in risky situations." Christa said.

Clementine frowned and said, "You say you want me to be capable, but you don't let me do anything."

"Because I can't trust that you won't go off somewhere and get yourself hurt."

Those words hurt. Christa didn't trust her… "I won't. I trusted him because he trusted me. I'm not stupid and I'm tougher than you think, Christa."

"I know that, Clem." Christa said.

"Do you?" Clementine asked. "You tell me to be tough. You tell me to be strong. But then you get mad at me for everything I do."

"I tell you to be tough and strong. And I also tell you to be smart. Being smart doesn't mean going off with strangers." Christa said. "You can't trust everyone you meet."

"I don't trust everyone. You just don't trust anyone." Clementine retorted.

"Clementine-"

"You just want me to be lonely. If these people weren't nice, they wouldn't have let us in." Clementine said. "They didn't have to, you know. They could've just left us out there."

"Nice or not, you can't trust everyone you meet! Anyone could find a reason to stab you in the back. The only thing that matters is your family. I had to leave the twins, to go looking for you. That puts them at risk!" Christa said in a stern tone.

"I…" Clementine frowned looking to the sleeping babies. "I wasn't trying to put them at risk…"

"I know… But you're a mom now. You got to think before you do things, for their sake." Christa said.

Clementine gave a small nod. "I'm sorry… I don't want you to be mad at me."

"I'm not…" Christa said after a moment. "I just worry about you, Clem. It's my job to keep you safe."

"Your job…" Clementine repeated in a small voice. "Is that why you take care of me…? Because you feel like you have to…?"

Christa looked dumbfounded for a moment, unsure how to answer. "Clem…"

"Is it?" Clementine asked again.

"Of course not. I'm looking after you because I care about you." Christa said. "Listen, how would you feel if you didn't know where one of the twins were?"

"My daughters can't even walk yet." Clementine pointed out.

"You can hardly walk yourself." Christa said.

Clementine lowered her gaze. She didn't need to be reminded.

"But that's besides the point. How would you feel?" Christa asked.

"…Bad." Clementine muttered.

"That's exactly how I feel everytime you wander off…" Christa told the little girl.

Clementine thought on those words for a moment. "I felt bad the whole time I was away from Aleena. And… And you're the one who separated us…. Why did you do that?"

"I… I was doing what was best for you, Clem…." Christa said.

"Best for me…?" Clementine shook her head. "Were you trying to punish me?"

Christa was confused by the question. "Punish you? For what?"

"I don't know… For being naughty?" Clementine asked.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Christa said.

"I did a lot wrong. I got Lee killed… I got Omid killed…" Clementine muttered.

"Clementine…. Stop talking like that."

"But it's true…" Clementine said. "That's why my baby got sick. Because of… karma."

Christa was surprised to hear that. Such a blunt, intuitive statement coming from the young child was unexpected. "What? What do you know about Karma?"

"Becca said it means 'what goes around, comes around'." Clementine said.

"And what does that mean?" Christa quizzed.

Clementine paused for a moment. "It means if you're naughty, something naughty will happen to you."

"You're not naughty…" Christa hated hearing the girl say that word. "Aleena was sick because she's a preemie. She was born too early to a small child. It has nothing to do with you being good or bad."

"But she was sick because I'm naughty. Everyone hates me because I'm naughty." Clementine said.

"No one hates you, Clem." Christa replied.

"I don't believe that…" Clementine frowned. "I always upset people."

"Just because people get upset sometimes doesn't mean they hate you. A lot of people care about you." Christa said.

"You used to. After Omid died. And… And after the baby…. I thought that's why you kept me away from Leena, so I would know how you felt…."

"That's not true, Clementine. Don't let me hear you talk like that anymore." Christa said.

"But-"

"I said that's enough." Christa stopped the child. "You need to get some rest. You're tired."

Clementine paused before saying, "I'm sorry…" Christa didn't respond, and Clementine continued, "I don't like when people argue… And… Kenny didn't mean to be rude…"

"I know. I don't really care what Kenny says. He just likes to hear himself talk." Christa sighed.

"I'll try better to be a good girl and not naughty." Clementine said.

"I already told you, you're not naughty, Clementine. Let's not used that word anymore." Christa said.

"Why?"

"Because it's not a good word." Christa replied.

Clementine furrowed her brows, "It's not a swear word."

"No. But it's not a nice word either." Christa simply said.

"Okay…."

"Come on. You need to rest." Christa motioned to the bed.

"But… Where will you sleep?" Clementine asked.

"In the chair. I'm not going to sleep right now though…" Christa said.

Clementine pouted. "Then why do I have to?"

"Because you're a child." Christa responded.

Clementine crossed her arms and gave a shake of the head, "I am not. I'm a mom."

"That doesn't mean anything, Clem." Christa said.

"It means I'm a grown-up. Kids don't have babies." Clementine said.

"You're not a grown-up. Now stop it." Christa said. "You shouldn't have gotten pregnant, but you did. Regardless, that doesn't change the fact that you're a child and you need to listen to the adults. Otherwise, you'll be in trouble."

Clementine frowned at that. "You don't understand me. I wish Lee was here."

"Well he's not here." Christa replied.

"I wish he was! At least he would never yell at me or treat me like I was incapable. You guys never let me do anything." The child crossed her arms and pouted. "It's not fair."

It was Christa's turn to frown. "What do you even want to do?"

"I…I want to have more independence. I'm tired of being treated like I can't do anything…" Clementine said.

"If you showed me that you're capable, I'd let you have more independence." Christa said.

"I am. If you're that worried, let me have gun. I know how to shoot already so…" Clementine said.

"A gun?"

Clementine nodded. "Terrell trusts me with a gun. Seems like he trusts me more than you guys."

"A gun doesn't prove you're capable. And you just met that boy…" Christa huffed.

"Well, I like him." Clementine shrugged. "And I know a gun doesn't prove anything, but it's for protection. I'd feel more comfortable if I had one."

"Why?"

"Because you don't feel safe here." Was the child's response.

"What makes you think that?" Christa asked.

"You're worried. And when you're worried, I'm worried." Clementine said.

"You don't have to be worried." Christa told her.

"How can I not be…? I'll feel safer with a gun. Or at least a knife." Clementine replied

"I'm not giving you a gun, Clem." Christa said, resisting the urge to groan at the child's persistence.

"Why not?" Clementine questioned, "Because you're scared that I'll kill myself?"

Christa was stunned by the small girl's words.

"I'm not going to… If I really wanted to, I would've done it by now." Clementine said as she nonchalantly took a seat on the bed.

Christa shot the child a scolding look, "Don't talk like that."

"I'm just saying, if that's what you're worried about you don't have to be." Clementine shrugged.

"You're at a big disadvantage being in that wheelchair. A knife or gun won't help you much in a bad situation." Christa said.

"Maybe a knife won't, but a gun will." Clementine stated.

"You're not getting a gun." Christa said. "I don't think you're ready for that."

"Lee didn't teach me how to shoot for nothing." Clementine argued. "I've been ready."

"I can't trust that you won't do something stupid with it." Christa said.

"I knew it…" Clementine huffed. "You say I need to be able to handle myself, but you're not letting me."

"You're right. I do want you to be able to handle yourself. But right now, you should be focused on trying to walk again, not holding a weapon." Christa said.

"I have been trying. It's not easy."

"I know, Clem. Which is why I want you to focus on getting out of the wheelchair, instead of having a gun." Christa replied.

"I won't need that chair for much longer." Clementine stated boldly.

"Oh?" Christa raised a brow at the child confident tone.

"Yeah. I don't need it now either…" Clementine said.

Christa raised a brow. "How about this, I'll let you have more independence once you can walk without stumbling or losing your balance. When you don't need the wheelchair."

"Really?" Clementine beamed. "Can I have a knife too?"

"Let's take it one thing at a time. Once you're out of that chair, I'll think about letting you have a knife." Christa said.

"Okay. Deal." Clementine agreed, a small smile on her lips.

"Good. Now get some rest."

The child no longer protested.

* * *

When Kenny stepped into the house Sarita immediately knew something was off.

"Kenny?" Sarita called, worry clear in her tone.

"Yeah, hon?" Kenny half sighed in his response.

"Is everything alright? Are you okay?" Sarita asked.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine, hon." Kenny simply said. Nothing more, nothing less.

Sarita could tell by the sound of his voice that everything wasn't fine. "What happened?"

"Nothing important, hon…"

Sarita frowned and asked, "Well…. what did they say?"

"They were worried about supplies." Kenny was vague in his explanation. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm worried about you…" Sarita muttered.

Kenny caught it and paused. "Why? Ain't nothing to worry about, Sarita."

"But-"

"I'm gonna go check on Alvie." Kenny cut her off.

Sarita sighed but nodded. "Okay."

She watched as her boyfriend walked out of the room. She couldn't shake her feeling of worry. She wished he would talk to her more.

* * *

"Becca?" Sarah called in a quiet from her bed. "Becca, are you awake?"

There was no response.

"Becca-"

Becca groaned, quieting the other teen. "What?"

"I just wanted to talk…" Sarah said in a small, honest voice. "S-Sorry…"

"What's there to talk about?" Becca asked.

"…Are you really going to go to the school?" Sarah asked.

"I don't see why not, if we're gonna be living here I might as well find some people I can talk to." Becca replied.

"What about me and Clem?" Sarah muttered.

"No offense but I'd rather find people I can relate to more. Clem's a baby and you're… weird." Becca said.

Sarah felt hurt by that. "That's so mean. Why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not acting like anything. This is just me. If the truth hurts, sorry, not sorry." Becca replied.

Sarah frowned. "But I thought we were friends."

"I never said we weren't." Becca replied. "Actually, if I'm being honest, you and Clem feel more like sisters to me. And from what I know about sisters is they can get on your last nerve, but you can't completely hate them."

"Then why do you pick on us? Why do you pick on her? Why do you have to be so mean to Clem?" Sarah asked.

"I don't pick on her… Well, I do sometimes, but I wasn't picking on her today. If she does something stupid, she should be chewed out for it." Becca said. "She should learn to stop wandering off and the adults should stop letting her get away with everything."

"I wish you'd be nicer to her. She's just a little kid." Sarah said.

"A little kid who's gonna get herself killed by acting stupid." Becca said, laying back down. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. Your dad coddled you way too much too."

There was a silence.

Sarah spoke again, "I… I want to try going to school too… If you're going, I'll go too."

Becca was surprised by that. "Maybe you should. It'll help take your mind off of everything that happened."

Sarah frowned looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Pretending won't change anything…" Becca said.

Sarah didn't respond.

* * *

When morning came Christa went to get breakfast for her and Clementine from the cafeteria.

As she and Clementine ate breakfast, they suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Christa got up to answer it, seeing Gill.

"Hi…" Gill said a bit awkwardly.

"Hey. Clem, your friend's here." Christa allowed the boy to step into the room.

Clementine beamed. "Gill! What are you doing here?"

"Edith asked my mom to help do a count of medical supplies. I figured I'd come with her and see if we could hang out." Gill said.

Clementine looked to Christa, "Can I?"

"How about you finish your breakfast first?"

Clementine frowned, ready to protest.

"It's okay, I can wait." Gill spoke first.

"Okay… Thanks, Gill." Clementine said.

Gill nodded. "I'll wait in the cafeteria. Come find me when you're done."

Clementine nodded and Gill exited the room.

Clementine and Christa continued their meal.

"He's a nice kid, huh?" Christa asked.

Clementine smiled. "Yeah. He is."

* * *

When Sarita awoke she wasn't surprised that the spot beside her was still empty. Kenny hadn't come to bed last night.

The woman forced herself up and made her way into the living room, there she noticed Kenny sitting on the floor with AJ, him and the toddler were playing with a couple blocks.

"Good morning, you two." Sarita greeted with a smile.

Kenny looked over, "Morning, hon. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine…" Sarita said. "Did you get any rest?"

Kenny simply shrugged.

"I could keep an eye on AJ if you're tired." Sarita offered.

Kenny shook his head. "I'm fine, Sarita. Don't worry."

"Okay…" Sarita mumbled. However, she couldn't help but worry.

There was a brief silence.

"That boy…. The one Clem was with, I don't trust him." Kenny suddenly said.

Sarita looked confused and worried as she asked, "What did he do?"

"I just… I just don't want him around her." Kenny said. "I think it'd be best if Clementine and the twins stayed with us… We can keep a better eye on them than Christa."

"Kenny… things wouldn't be easy for us." Sarita said. "We already have AJ to look after…"

"There's two of us. We can handle Clem and the twins better than Christa." Kenny said.

"Christa's looked after Clem for over two years… I think she's fine…" Sarita said.

"If Clementine had gotten hurt last night, would you have thought she was fine?" Kenny asked.

"I… No… But she didn't get hurt. She's fine, Kenny…" Sarita replied.

"She's fine, this time…" Kenny said. "The last thing I want happening is for her to get hurt again."

"That's that last thing anyone wants." Sarita said. "And we're not going to let that happen."

Kenny sighed. "I'm just worried about her…"

"You're still blaming yourself for what happened at the hardware store…" Sarita noted.

Kenny didn't deny it. "…I can't help it. I should've done something to help her… Something more."

"Carver's dead. He can't hurt her anymore…" Sarita reminded.

"He already did the damage." Kenny said. "And I don't want her getting hurt ever again…"

"We'll do what we can to protect her." Sarita said. "And we need Christa's help. We can't just separate them."

Kenny was quiet, he knew there was no point in arguing when Sarita didn't agree with him.

"I'm going to start some breakfast…" Sarita said.

Kenny gave a nod and continued playing with AJ while Sarita headed to the kitchen.

* * *

Christa and Clementine finished their breakfast and then Clementine proceeded to tend to the twins.

After feeding the twins and allowing a nurse to check over little Aleena, Clementine looked to her guardian. "Can I play with Gill now?"

Christa sighed, "Okay, but I want to know exactly where you're gonna be."

"Just in the cafeteria, I promise." Clementine said.

"Fine. You can play." Christa said.

Clementine beamed. "I'll come back to check on the twins soon."

"I think I can handle them for a while, Clem." Christa said.

"Are… Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Clem. You just have fun with your friend." Christa said.

Clementine smiled, "Thanks, Christa."

"No wandering off, okay?" Christa said.

"I won't." Clementine promised.

"Good." Christa said.

The young girl started to stand from her wheelchair causing Christa to raise a brow. "What are you doing, Clem?"

"I'm going to walk…" Clementine said. "You said if I stop using the chair, I can have a knife."

"Sweetie, it's going to take some time before you don't need the chair anymore. You don't have to rush that." Christa said.

"But I want to walk…" Clementine said.

"And I want you to bring it just in case you need it." Christa said.

Clementine frowned but agreed. "Okay…" The girl reluctantly eased herself back into her chair before making her way out the door to find Gill.

* * *

"How did you girls sleep?" Sarita asked Sarah and Becca as they gathered around the table for breakfast.

"Fine, I guess." Becca shrugged.

"Is Clem okay?" Sarah asked. "She seemed really sad yesterday."

"Clem's fine." Kenny grumbled. "She's lucky she didn't get hurt."

"All that for a stupid teddy bear…" Becca scoffed.

"We know how much that bear means to her." Sarita said.

"But it's just a dumb toy." Becca groaned.

"A lot of abuse victims need a toy to hold onto. Some counselors offer stuffed animals or dolls during therapy sessions." Sarita explained.

"Last time she had a doll she destroys it…" Kenny said.

"That's not out of the ordinary either. Some children inflict violence onto toys in order to better cope with the pain they're feeling." Sarita said. "Clementine is attached to Promise because he makes her feel safe. She can express any emotions she wants with him."

"But he's a toy, he can't respond." Becca said.

"To her he gives her all the response she needs. We can't hear it, but she does." Sarita said. "It's almost like having an imaginary friend."

"I guess she'll grow out of it eventually." Kenny shrugged. "I mean, it's better for her to cling to a bear than to cut her wrists."

"That is true…" Sarita nodded in agreement. "There's nothing wrong with a child needing a toy."

"Yeah…" Kenny said. "So do you girls have any plans for today?"

"Actually yeah. We wanted to meet some of the other kids around town. Maybe check out the school." Becca said.

"Really? I didn't think any of you wanted to go." Kenny said.

"Well, it'd give us something to do when there's nothing to do." Becca said.

"I'm sure it'd be nice for you girls to make some friends around town." Sarita said.

"I guess so…" Kenny shrugged. "Just don't go getting into trouble."

Becca smirked, "You don't have to worry about that."

"I got a feeling you're gonna be causing trouble, not just getting into it." Kenny said.

Becca simply shrugged, keeping her playful grin.

* * *

"So those twins…" Gill paused for a moment, a bit awkwardly. "Umm… Are you… you're really their mom?"

"Yeah, I am." Clementine nodded.

"But you're younger than me." Gill said. "Where's their dad? Does he live here too?"

Clementine frowned. "He's… gone…"

"Oh… I'm sorry…" Gill said. "What happened to him?"

"We… got separated. He was in my old group." Clementine said. "I don't know if he's okay or not…"

"What was he like?" Gill asked.

"He was nice, but Kenny and him argued a lot." Clementine said.

"Who's Kenny?"

"Kenny's my friend." Clementine answered. "Crystal, Promise, and I were staying with him for a while…"

"Was he from your old group too?" Gill wondered.

Clementine nodded. "We had more people in our old group but… we got attacked and I don't know what happened to them. Now it's just Kenny, Sarita, Becca, Sarah, AJ, Christa, the twins, and me…"

"Do you think their dad is still alive?" Gill asked.

"I… I don't know…" Clementine said. "I hope Luke's alive… He's a nice daddy for my girls… And he's not naughty like Carver."

"Who's Carver?" Gill questioned.

Clementine was hesitant to answer. "Carver… He's a naughty person."

"Naughty…?" Gill repeated the word with a puzzled look.

"Y-Yeah… He hurt me…" Clementine said, looking away.

Gill was surprised. "Hurt you how?"

Clementine lowered her head not responding.

"Someone killed my dad… Before we got here…" Gill said.

"Wh-What?" Clementine stammered.

"This evil woman shot him…" Gill said.

The little girl frowned, "I…I'm so sorry, Gill…"

"Yeah… So… I guess we've all lost people…" Gill frowned.

"Yeah…" Clementine muttered.

Silence fell over them.

The two children wordlessly continued playing board game after game until Patricia eventually showed up and spoke, "Ready to go, Gill?"

"I guess so." Gill said.

Clementine pouted, "Does he have to?"

"Maybe you could come by my house. I got card games there." Gill said.

"Really?" Clementine beamed before sighing, "But… I can't…"

"Why?" Gill asked.

"I don't know if Christa will let me. Plus, I can't leave the twins." Clementine said. "They'll probably wake up soon."

"Oh, alright…" Gill sounded a bit disappointed.

Clementine paused before speaking again, "Will you… come play tomorrow?"

Gill nodded, "Sure. I'll come by after school."

Clementine wrinkled her nose. "School?"

"Yeah." Gill sighed.

"It's important to get an education somehow, regardless of all the stuff that goes on in the world. Don't you think?" Patricia said to the little girl.

Clementine shrugged, "I guess…"

Patricia chuckled at the child's response. "It was nice seeing you, sweetie."

"You too." Clementine said.

"Say hi to Christa for me." Patricia said.

"I will." Clementine nodded.

"And kiss your little sisters hello too." Patricia added.

"Sisters?" Clementine echoed, confused. She didn't have any sisters. She started to correct the woman, but decided against it.

Patricia looked to Gill, "Come along, hon."

"See ya, Clem." Gill waved.

"Bye, Gill."

* * *

With Aleena crying and a nurse throwing constant questions at her, Christa found herself getting slightly annoyed. She tried to sooth little Aleena's cries as her wails woke Crystal causing the other baby to cry as well.

"I understand you're busy, but you haven't answered my questions." The nurse said.

Christa shot her a cold stare. "Look, I don't know their mother's full health history."

"And how do you not know?" The nurse demanded.

"Because I'm not their mother." Christa finally said. She picked up Crystal and began rocking both her and Aleena.

The nurse seemed surprised. "Oh… My mistake… Is their mother around?"

"She's playing with her friend somewhere." Christa answered.

The nurse raised a brow, "Well, I need to speak with her."

Christa sighed, "Anything you need to know regarding the twins, you can ask me."

"I need to know the mother's health history. I'd like to speak with her." The nurse said.

"I don't think she'll be able to help you." Christa replied, wishing the nurse would just back off.

"Why not?"

The door suddenly opened and little Clementine entered the room. "Are they okay? Why are they crying?"

"They probably missed you." Christa said. "Want to try to calm them down?"

Clementine nodded.

Christa handed the twins over to the little girl who cradled them. It didn't take too long for them to quiet down.

"Where'd your friend go?" Christa asked the girl.

"He went home. Patricia says, hi." Clementine said.

"Sweetie," The nurse gritted out, "We're in the middle of a conversation."

"You said you needed to talk to the twins' mother." Christa said to the nurse.

"About what?" Clementine asked.

The nurse sent them both looks, "I said the mother, not their sister."

Clementine frowned, that was the second time she was mistake n for their sister. "I am their mommy."

The nurse looked shocked but shook her head. "This is serious, sweetie. Now's not the time to play pretend."

"I'm not playing pretend. I'm really their mommy." Clementine said.

A look of disgust crossed the nurse's face and she turned to Christa. "You let this child get pregnant?!"

Clementine flinched while the twins whimpered a bit.

"No. I didn't let her get pregnant." Christa said.

"Then how could she possibly be the mother of those twins?" The nurse inquired.

"She was raped." Christa answered. "The guy who attacked her is dead."

"She's a small child… Why did you allow her to carry the babies? Why didn't you force her to have an abortion?" The nurse asked.

Clementine gasped at that question.

"You're telling me this child got raped and pregnant and you allowed the little girl to suffer through a pregnancy? Who in the right mind would want to have a baby in this would, especially when they're a child themselves?" The nurse continued. "How did she even escape your custody to have gotten raped in the first place? You're responsible for her, are you not?"

"We were attacked and separated. She was raped during the time we were split up. When I saw her again, I found out she was pregnant. We didn't have access to a place like this, aborting would've been just as dangerous as giving birth." Christa said.

"Did it ever cross your mind that abortion might be the right thing to do for the child's sake?" The nurse questioned bitterly.

"Abortion means the baby dies!" Clementine cut in, "I wouldn't do that to my babies!"

Christa sighed. This woman was clearly upsetting Clementine and the twins. "This conversation is over. You're just making them upset, and I'm running out of patience. If you want to ask her about her health history-"

"She's a child. I doubt she'll be much help." The nurse scoffed. "I'll come by to check on the babies later."

"Don't bother. I'm asking for a different nurse." Christa said.

The nurse remained silent as Christa motioned for her to leave. She did so without protest.

* * *

Wanting to see around town, Sarah and Becca had headed to find Edith, hoping she would show them to the school she had mentioned.

It didn't take long for them to find the woman on watch by the front gate.

"Hey Edith." Becca greeted.

"Hey there, girls. How's it going?" Edith smiled to them.

"Pretty good. We were wondering if maybe you could show us around. We wanted to check out that school." Becca said.

"Sure thing. My watch shift ends in about an hour. I can show you two around then and take you by the school." Edith said.

"Awesome. Thanks Edith." Becca said.

"Yeah, thank you." Sarah said.

"No problem." Edith nodded.

The two girls walked off.

"What do we do now?" Sarah asked.

"We got an hour. Up for a game of cards?" Becca asked.

Sarah nodded. "Sure."

* * *

Clementine had been clearly upset after the nurse left. After the twins had calmed enough to be returned to their crib, the girl sat silently clutching to Promise for about ten minutes before finally speaking, "Christa, is it bad that I'm a mommy?"

"What?"

"Is it bad that I'm a mommy already?" Clementine repeated her question.

"It's… Not something that anyone would expect. Kids shouldn't have babies…" Christa replied.

"So it is bad? I'm bad?" Clementine asked.

"No, Clem… You're not bad. You didn't do anything wrong." Christa said.

"If we had been in a place like this, would you have made me do an abortion?" Clementine asked.

"Clem…"

"Would you?" Clementine asked.

"I… I wouldn't have forced you to do anything like that, Clem…" Christa said. "That's a big life changing decision… But we're pass it now. The twins are here, and you've been a good mommy to them."

Clementine paused, "Then why do people act so… so weird when they find out I'm Crystal and Aleena's mommy?"

"That's… just something you'll have to get used to, Clem." Christa said. "People judge other people for everything."

"Why? Why can't people just mind their business?" Clementine huffed. "It's annoying…"

"That's just how the world works… People are going to judge you for every decision you make. But you have to learn not to let it bother you." Christa said. "This whole situation, with you having the twins… people are going to be confused about it and sometimes angry…"

"Why?"

"Because you're a child, and what happened to you was wrong…" Christa said. "The twins are a result of something negative that happened to you…"

"But I love them." Clementine said.

"I know. You're supposed to love them. They did nothing wrong and neither did you." Christa said. "Everyone who touched you was wrong. Anyone who didn't help you, should have."

"Luke said he was their daddy…" Clementine said. "But I have nightmares about Carver… Who's their real daddy?"

"Carver…made Luke do stuff with you, Clem…" Christa said. "That's why Luke thought- Look, who their dad is, doesn't matter. They have a mommy who loves them more than anything in the world. And they love you more than anything in the world."

"I… want them to have a daddy though… I want them to have a nice daddy who's not a deadbeat. One who loves them like my daddy loved me…" Clementine said. "Luke loved them, didn't he?"

"Of course he did…" Christa said.

"Kenny said he was a deadbeat…"

"Luke just wasn't ready to be a father yet. It's not easy being a parent. I'm surprised you do such a good job with them." Christa said.

"I wish Luke was here… I don't want the girls to grow up without a daddy." Clementine muttered.

"Maybe one day when you're older you'll meet someone who can be their daddy…" Christa said. "But for now, you don't have to worry about that."

"I want Luke to come here. He's supposed to be their daddy. I was going to teach him how to look after them better." Clementine said. "We could've got married…"

"Luke's gone, Clem." Christa said. "And he couldn't have married you. He was an adult and you're a child."

"My mommy and daddy said, when you have a baby, you get married…" Clementine said. "So we would have gotten married."

"That's not the way it works, Clem." Christa said. "When your parents said that, I'm sure they weren't thinking that'd you'd have your babies by age eleven. They wanted you to be an adult, be in love, and get married. Not just marry someone for the hell of it."

"Was Carver in love with me?" Clementine asked. "Is that why he fucked me?"

"Clem… You don't talk like that. Carver was sick. You know that." Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine muttered. "My twins need a daddy. It's not fair."

"They have you, Clem. And Sarita, Kenny, and I are around to help you. Maybe when you're all grown up you'll meet a nice guy who will help you look after them, but right now, you're all they need." Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine muttered.

"How about you color for a bit?" Christa suggested.

Clementine nodded.

Christa hated having to have those type of discussions with the child. She wanted to be able to shield the girl from negativity as people would normally do with a child her age, but the fact that Clementine was such a young mother meant the girl would be the target of harsh judgement more often than not. Clementine needed to be prepared for that.

* * *

After an hour passed the two teens returned to Edith's post to find the woman waiting for them. "You girls ready to go?"

"Yep." Becca nodded.

"Where's Clementine? She's not tagging along?" Edith asked.

"She's with Christa and the twins." Sarah answered.

"Oh…" The woman sounded a bit disappointed. "Well, I'll show you girls around first, then we can stop by the school."

The two teens nodded. Edith began her tour. She showed them house after house, shop after shop, the hospital, and finally, they start to head to the school.

"So what is the school like?" Becca asked.

"It's just a regular school. The schedule is a bit different though." Edith answered.

"Different how?" Sarah questioned.

"Well, classes are held four days a week instead of five. They go over two or three different subjects a day, then on Friday we have a survival course." Edith explained.

"Survival course?" Becca raised a brow.

"Gun practice, stuff like that. We let the older kids gather and ration supplies." Edith said.

Becca hummed. "Hmm… Doesn't sound bad."

"How old are the kids?" Sarah asked.

"I don't think we have anyone younger than nine at the school. That's why I was surprised to see babies in your group. Children are rare…" Edith said.

Upon arriving at the school, they stepped inside and heard a woman scolding a group of kids, telling them to take their seats. It wasn't long until the woman, who the teens assumed was teacher spotted them and said, "Oh, hi there."

That immediately drew the curious gazes of the other kids in the building.

Edith walked over to the woman and proceeded to have a brief conversation with the woman before introducing the two girls.

After a minute the teacher smiled, "Nice to meet you two. My name is Staton, Make yourselves comfortable."

The girls hesitantly took their seats.

"I'll see you later, girls." Edith said.

"Wait, you're leaving?" Becca asked.

"You'll be fine. Just, try to make some friends." Edith said.

Sarah and Becca exchanged looks before looking to the rowdy kids in the classroom. That would be easier said than done.

* * *

Sitting in the classroom had been more than awkward. The behavior of the other children didn't help. Nor did the teacher's raised voice each time someone did something they shouldn't be. The two teens didn't know what to make of the situation.

Eventually Becca had warmed up enough to strike up some conversation with some of the kids her age.

Sarah on the other hand, kept to herself mostly. She didn't trust the group of kids Becca was becoming acquainted with. She felt uncomfortable around them. She wasn't used to this… She missed playing with Clementine and Becca. She was more than happy when the teacher dismissed them all. She couldn't wait to get home.

"Wait up." One of the kids called out to them as they readied to leave. "How long have you two been in town?"

"Not too long." Becca replied.

The kid hummed in response. "You two heading home already?"

"Yeah, why?" Becca said.

"I was gonna invite you two to hang out. Maybe have a smoke." The kid said.

Sarah was surprised by the boy's words.

Becca paused at the offer. "Uh… Su-"

"O-Oh. No thanks." Sarah interrupted.

"Suit yourself." The kid shrugged.

Sarah nodded and turned to walk away. "I think we should get home… Kenny and Sarita might be worried."

"Alright…" Becca sighed, but followed the other teen. Once they were out of the other kid's earshot, Becca asked, "Okay, what's the deal?"

"I don't know what you mean…" Sarah muttered.

"Of course you do. You clearly didn't want to stick around. What's wrong?" Becca asked.

"Nothing. I just… It's getting late, we should get home." Sarah said.

Becca grabbed her arm to slow her down. "Come on, don't you want to hang around people our age for once?"

"I do, but… not if they're mean…" Sarah replied.

Becca rolled her eyes. "You think everyone's mean. You're just too sensitive."

"Since when did you smoke?" Sarah questioned, suddenly stopping in her tracks to face the girl.

"What?"

"He asked if you wanted to smoke, you were gonna say yes. Since when did you start smoking?" Sarah asked.

Becca almost felt as if she was being lectured by the teen. The gaze of disappointment reminded her of the ones her older sister would give her when she did something wrong. "I don't."

"Then why-"

"I was just trying to fit in… I want to feel like a normal kid for once." Becca said. "It's not a big deal."

"Smoking is a big deal." Sarah said.

"Well, I didn't smoke, so relax." Becca said.

"…I just have a bad feeling around them…" Sarah said. "I don't think you should be friends with them."

Becca simply shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's just get home."

The two girls headed back to their house.

Sarah knew Becca wasn't too happy about leaving. But she could tell that those kids clearly weren't the best influences.

* * *

"You okay, Clem?" The girl had been quiet since the incident with the nurse. Christa was a bit worried.

"Yes…" Clementine muttered from the bed. "I'm just… thinking."

"Why don't you play with Promise or keep coloring?" Christa asked.

The child didn't respond for a moment. "I… I want to play, but I want to be a good mom. I can't do both."

"Clem, you are a good mom." Christa said.

"I don't want you to be the only one who knows that…" Clementine said.

Christa sighed, "You don't have to prove that you're a good mom to those nurses. You've been taking good care of the girls. You're a great mommy, Clem."

"I don't feel like it…"

"I don't want you to think negative, Clem… It'll make you upset." Christa said. "You're a very good mommy to those girls. No one's perfect, and things are hard, but that's okay."

"Okay… Promise me you're not just saying that to make me feel better…?" Clementine asked.

"I promise." Christa said.

"Okay… Good."

"I don't want you questioning if you're a good mom." Christa said to the child. "You love your girls, right?"

"More than anything in the whole world." Clementine replied.

"And you take good care of them too. That's how you know you are a good mom."

"Thank you, Christa."

"You don't have to thank me. I love you and the twins more than anything in the world. I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe and happy." Christa said.

Clementine gave a smile and hugged the woman.

Christa returned the embrace. Despite all they had gone through over the past few years, she was glad to have Clementine here with her.

* * *

 _ **Useless.**_

 _Shut up._

 _ **A burden.**_

 _Shut up!_

 _ **Bad mother.**_

 _SHUT UP!_

 _ **You and those twins belong to me.**_

 _No!_

 _ **That baby is going to die!**_

 _No no no!_

 _ **Aleena is going to die and be with me!**_

 _NO!_

 _"She's not yours! We're not yours! Stop it! Stop it!" Clementine exclaimed._

* * *

Christa jerked awake as she heard Clementine let out a scream. The girl was thrashing about in the bed, fighting some unseen opponent. Christa quickly stood up and went to wake the child. "Clem, Clementine, sweetie, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

After a few attempts to wake the child, Clementine's fighting ceased, and the girl's eyes fluttered open. She studied her guardian's face, looking confused for a moment.

"You were having a nightmare, Clem." Christa said in a gentle voice. "It's okay, you're safe."

At first the words didn't resister. Clementine's heart was pounding, and her thoughts were running wild. She took a few moments to realize where she was. Suddenly Clementine shot upright in bed, breathing irregular. "My babies?!"

"They're fine, Clem. They're asleep." Christa answered, easing the child's panic.

Clementine took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"It's okay. You're okay." Christa soothed.

After a while the child spoke again, "My babies are okay, r-right? Leena won't d-die."

"Aleena is fine. They're both fine." Christa said.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"O-Okay..."

After a couple moments Christa asked, "What did you dream about?"

Clementine lowered her head. "I... don't remember..."

Christa was sure the child did. But the girl obviously didn't want to talk about it. "Do you want some water, Clem?"

"I'm okay..." Clementine muttered. "Thanks..."

Christa noticed the flush in the girl's cheeks and reached out a hand to feel the child's forehead. She was hot. "You have a fever again... Are you feeling sick?"

"No..." Clementine replied.

Christa didn't understand why the girl constantly got these fevers. They always seemed to be stress related, but sometimes they were so high it worried her. She would have to speak with one of the doctors about it. "…Try to go back to sleep, Clem..."

"B-But..."

"I'm right here if you have another nightmare..." Christa reassured the girl.

"Okay... T-Thank you."

"You don't gotta thank me, Clem. Just try to get some sleep."

Clementine nodded slowly allowing her eyes to fall close. She clutched tight to Promise but was unable to fall back to sleep. After that nightmare, she didn't think she'd be getting much rest that night.

* * *

Clementine's eyes opened slowly, light filling the room from a window. Her body felt exhausted, she had barely slept a wink. The same dream kept haunting her, it had been for several nights now.

She was constantly haunted in her dreams by the abuse she suffered at the hands of Carver.

She didn't want to mention it to Christa… Christa already was stressed out as it was… So she just pretended she was fine, that everything was fine.

"You okay, Clem? You didn't sleep too good last night." Christa said.

"Y-Yeah... I just had some nightmares..." Clementine stuttered.

"Want to talk about it?" Christa asked.

"N-No! I... I'm fine." Clementine stammered before quickly forcing a calmer voice. "I'm fine now…"

Christa gave her a serious look. "You can talk to me, you know."

"I know... I just..." Clementine stopped. "I'm gonna get breakfast for us. Then I'll feed the twins."

"Actually," Christa reached out to check the girl's forehead before retracting her hand. "I'll go grab us breakfast."

"Why?"

"You still have a fever. You need to rest." Christa said.

Clementine pouted. "I don't want to rest."

"Until that fever's gone, you don't have a choice, Clem." Christa said.

"But I'm fine. I feel fine. I don't need to rest. I need to be more helpful. I need to get us breakfast then... then take care of the twins." Clementine said.

"You barely slept at all, Clem." Christa argued.

"That's because Carver won't let me!" The child suddenly exclaimed.

Christa frowned. "Carver can't hurt you. You know that."

Clementine frowned, "I hate him... I wish I could kill him and make him leave me alone."

"He's already dead, sweetie." Christa said.

"Well, I wish I could kill him again." Clementine replied.

Christa sighed.

"I don't want to stay in bed." Clementine crossed her arms. "Promise doesn't want to either."

"Can't be helped, Clementine." Christa said. "I want you and Promise to take it easy today."

"…Can I at least get us breakfast? I swear I'll be careful." Clementine said. "Promise can help me…"

Christa thought for a moment before giving in, "Alright, Clem."

Clementine stood and shakily made her way to the door.

"What about your chair?" Christa asked.

"I don't need it." Clementine quickly replied.

"Clem-"

The girl stumbled from the room before Christa could get another word in.

* * *

Another day in the classroom and Sarah hadn't gotten any more comfortable. The classroom was loud and chaotic. It reminded Sarah of her first year in middle school. She hated it…

Becca, on the other hand was getting along fine with the rowdy group.

Sarah frowned, fighting the urge to cover her ears to block out the noise.

"Don't mind them." A young boy said. "They're always like that."

"I wish they weren't…" Sarah said.

"So do I…" The boy replied. "So…You're new here?"

"Yeah, we are…" Sarah said.

"My name's Gill." The boy said.

"Sarah."

Gill raised a brow, "You know Clementine, don't you?"

"Yeah. She's our friend." Sarah said. "You know her?"

"Yeah." Gill nodded.

"Who's Clementine? Is she hot?" One of the other kids asked.

"No way." Becca huffed. "She's a stupid little kid."

"Becca." Sarah frowned.

"What?" Becca asked. "She is."

"She's not stupid." Sarah said.

"Alright fine. She's just an annoying little kid."

"I think she's pretty fun to play with." Gill said.

"You don't know her that well." Becca said.

"She's my friend. And if she's your friend you should be nicer to her." Gill replied.

"What do you know? You're just a little kid yourself." Becca scoffed.

"I know if Clem's supposed to be your friend you shouldn't be calling her stupid or annoying." Gill said.

"Look, kid, I don't need you to lecture me." Becca said. "I know Clem a lot better than you do."

"I think you're being a bully." Gill said.

"No one asked what you think." Becca said.

"Things are hard on Clem…" Sarah said. "She's been through a lot…"

"Things are hard for everyone." Becca said.

"Yeah… But you shouldn't make it harder for her…" Gill said. "You should learn to be a better friend."

Becca was surprised by that but turned away. "Whatever…" She didn't want to be guilt-tripped by this kid. It wasn't like she was being that mean to Clementine. Besides, she didn't think Clementine was stupid or annoying, she just wanted to fit in with kids her age. It had been forever since she had.

* * *

After Clementine finished breakfast, leaving it barely touched, and had taken her medicine, the child did her best to rest as Christa urged her to. The task felt impossible, her body was just too awake to rest.

When the twins woke, she tended to them with Christa's help. By the time the two babies were down for a nap, a knock came at her door. Despite her fever, Christa allowed the girl to go play with Gill for a while. She knew the child wasn't contagious and the girl was wide awake while the twins were fast asleep, so there was no point in keeping the little kid bored.

"I met your friends." Gill said as he moved forward his game piece. The two were playing Sorry.

"You did?" Clementine asked as she took her turn reading a card.

"Sarah and Becca." Gill said.

"Oh… Where'd you meet them?" Clementine asked.

"At the school." Gill said.

"Oh..."

"Why don't you go?" Gill asked his friend.

Clementine moved her piece forward, biting her lip a bit. "Umm... Christa doesn't think I should... And anyway, I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"I'd miss my girls. They're the most important people to me." Clementine said.

"Oh, that makes sense." Gill said.

Clementine nodded. "Yeah…"

Gill hummed a bit before asking, "Clem… Is Becca ever mean to you?"

"Umm, sometimes. Why?" Was the girl's response.

"Well… she just didn't seem to nice… And she was hanging around those bullies I told you about." Gill said.

"Becca… takes some time to get used to, but she's not always mean…" Clementine said.

"I don't think she should be mean to you at all." Gill replied.

"I'm used to it." Clementine shrugged. "They're like family to me…"

"Family shouldn't treat you meanly." Gill said.

"I said I don't mind. Becca doesn't mean to be mean."

"If you say so…." Gill muttered.

"Yeah…" Clementine wondered what caused Gill to ask.

The child continued playing the game for a bit. Not a word was exchanged between the two.

Gill tried to think of something else to say. "How are the twins?"

"They're okay. Aleena's been doing a lot better. I just wish they'd let her go home." Clementine said.

"I'm sure they'll let her soon." Gill said.

"I hope so." Clementine said.

"…How are you doing?"

Clementine paused, "I don't know…"

"What do you mean?" Gill asked.

"I just… I feel so sad lately. I try not to be. Sometimes I don't even know why I'm sad. Christa tells me not to be negative, but… I can't make bad thoughts go away…" Clementine said.

"Have you told Christa you're sad?" Gill asked.

"I… can't…" Clementine said. "It's not always easy to talk to her…"

"Why?"

"It's just not…" Clementine sighed.

"Oh…" Gill decided to change the subject. "Do you want to play something else?"

"No thanks. Sorry, I…I have so much on my mind right now, I wouldn't be able to focus on another game." Clementine said.

"What's on your mind…?" Gill asked.

"…I can't walk very well. And people always have to help me with things... I feel like a burden." Clementine muttered.

"You're not…" Gill said.

"I feel like I am… I keep wondering why am I here?" Clementine said.

"Where? In the hospital?" Gill asked.

"No... Here. Alive." Clementine answered.

Gill felt his heart drop. He didn't know how to respond.

"I don't even deserve to be..." Clementine said.

"Don't say that… You're not a burden. You shouldn't feel like this." Gill said.

After a moment of two Clementine said, "You're right…" She then forced a smile, "Don't worry about me, Gill… I'll be fine…"

Gill furrowed his brows, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Don't worry. We can play another game if you want." Clementine said.

"Umm…. Okay." Gill said.

Negativity got her nowhere. She needed to put on a happy face. She didn't want anyone worrying about her. There was enough going on. Enough on everyone's plates.

* * *

There had been so many thoughts going through her head. She could hardly eat. When night fell, she couldn't sleep.

She didn't want Christa to worry, so she didn't say a word to the woman.

However, Carver's words were stuck in her head. She felt like she let her twins down. Like she let so many people down. She wanted to shake that feeling that she was a burden.

She needed to be strong for her twins. She was a mother. Mother's were supposed to be tough, like her mother was for her…

She didn't care what sacrifices she had to make, she would make sure her twins were okay, no matter what it took. That's what a mother was supposed to do.

* * *

As the days progressed, the group was quickly becoming acquainted with the other towns people.

Clementine took her role as a mother very seriously, Christa noted. The girl wouldn't play until she made sure the twins were properly tended to. Christa was glad that Patricia and Gill continued to come around, the young girl seemed to enjoy playing with the boy, and it was nice for her to act like a kid every now and then.

When Gill wasn't dropping by, their regular group members would sometimes pay a visit.

Clementine was by no means left bored. She quickly became friends with patients and guards, as she often walked the halls of the hospital, determined to get out to of her wheelchair and get walking again.

Christa noticed that the young girl had become specifically close with Terrell. Whenever it was the young guard's turn to do an inventory count, he would spend a good amount of time with the girl. Christa thought it was nice of him and considering everyone in the hospital seemed to think highly of the young man, she didn't have a problem with it.

Kenny on the other hand didn't trust the boy at all and hadn't been shy about voice that to Christa during his visits.

Kenny being paranoid was nothing new. As long as Clementine was safe, Christa didn't mind her hanging out with Terrell.

She had noticed Clementine seemed to be falling back into that state of depression. She didn't want her to feel like that. A child should be happy…

The girl did need some time to enjoy herself. It wasn't easy being a mother, especially at such a young age.

* * *

Sarita couldn't help but worry about Kenny, he was getting little to no sleep. Whenever he did try to sleep it was anything but pleasant…

"Another nightmare?" Sarita asked.

"Yeah…" Kenny confirmed.

"What was it about?" Sarita was concerned.

Kenny took a moment to answer, "Clem…"

"Clementine?"

Kenny nodded. "I keep… I keep thinking of what those shit did to her. I don't want her getting hurt again."

"She won't…" Sarita said.

"Christa keeps letting her hang around that boy, I don't trust him." Kenny huffed.

"Did he do something wrong?" Sarita asked. "Why don't you trust him?"

"I just don't want him around her." Kenny said. He didn't go into any further detail.

"It's good for her to interact with people. Sarah and Becca too." Sarita said.

"We're supposed to protect these kids." Kenny grumbled. "Sarah and Becca are older and at least we know where they are during the day. Clem… I never know when the next time is that she'll wander off."

"Christa won't let that happen." Sarita said.

"She let it happen before." Kenny stated.

"Christa's doing the best she can with Clem and the twins… Her hands are full." Sarita said. "But I think she's the best one to look after Clem… She done it for this long…"

"Clementine should be here. With us." Kenny said.

Sarita sighed, "Just try to get some rest, Kenny. Please… You're exhausted."

"I'm going to check in on Alvie." Kenny said.

Sarita frowned but nodded.

Kenny stood and headed to check on AJ. The little guy always help to calm him down. He had kept quiet about what went on during the meeting, explain briefly to Sarita and Christa about the situation.

He purposely left out how they held a man against his will and how young Terrell had brutally executed him. All for taking supplies to leave town.

After the way things had gone in the last town, Kenny knew Christa and Sarita wouldn't hesitate to pack up and leave if things got bad in Wellington.

Still, after all they had gone through to get here, Kenny was not willing to just throw that all away.

Even if it meant he had to keep secrets he didn't feel comfortable with.

* * *

Christa stood silently as a doctor examined Aleena.

Clementine was seated not far, holding her bear in her arms.

"Any new diagnosis?" Christa asked.

"Not exactly. However, I think she might be doing well enough to go home." The doctor said.

Clementine perked up at that. "Now?"

"Not now, sweetie." The doctor replied.

The child's face fell.

"How's about the day after tomorrow?" The doctor spoke again. "That's two days from now."

Clementine beamed. "Two days? Two days, for real."

"I think so. We'll make sure she's okay tonight and then-"

"So you're not going to cut my baby's throat?" Clementine questioned.

The doctor looked a bit stunned by her blunt question. "No, sweetie... We'll monitor her for the next send her home with an oxygen tank if she's doing okay tomorrow."

"How will you be able to tell when she needs the oxygen?" Christa asked.

"Starting tomorrow we'll give you a portal oxygen tank and nasal prongs, which should be changed every week or so. We'll also have something to monitor her heart rate. As long as you keep her on the oxygen, she should be fine."

"All the time?" Clementine asked.

"Well, until we tell you she no longer needs it. She'll be fine. We'll teach you everything you need to know." The doctor said.

"Thank you." Christa said.

The doctor nodded and exited the room.

Clementine turned to Christa with a smile. "Two days! We can leave in two days!"

"I know. You're happy about it, huh?" Christa asked.

Clementine nodded. "Very. I'm sick of this place…"

"I know, Clem. I am too…"

"I can't wait to go back home-"

A knock at the door drew their attention.

Christa raised a brow assuming it was the doctor again. "Come in."

The door opened and Sarita entered with AJ in her arms. "Hello…"

"Sarita, what are you doing here?" Christa asked.

"I… I needed someone to talk to. Is now an okay time?" Sarita asked.

Christa looked to Clementine who was now playing with the twins. "Sure. What's wrong?"

AJ started reaching towards Clementine and Sarita placed the toddler on the bed to play with the girl as well.

"Want to talk outside?" Christa suggested.

Sarita glanced over to Clementine then looked back to Christa with a nod.

The two woman made their way outside the room and stood by the door.

"I'm worried about Kenny…" Sarita said.

"What happened?" Christa asked.

"He… He hasn't been sleeping much." Sarita said.

"That's nothing new…" Christa said.

"I'm just worried about him." Sarita said. "I feel like I always worry about him… You knew him before… Clem told me he seemed different but… how different is he?"

"He lost his whole family. Anyone would be different after that…" Christa said. "When I lost Omid and… my baby, I changed…."

"In what way?"

"I wasn't the best guardian for Clem…" Christa said.

"You're so good with her though…." Sarita said.

"Because seeing her again… Reuniting with her… it made me realize how I'd been treating her… And I promised to do a better job." Christa said. "Not everyone gets a second chance, but I did with Clem… And Kenny did with AJ…"

Sarita pondered on Christa's words. "I guess you're right…"

"You have every right to worry about Kenny, but I know everything he does is to protect the people he loves." Christa said. "Despite his stupidity. He has a good heart."

"I know he does. That's why I love him."

"He's lucky to have you. You keep him happy. When I met him he was so… depressed… You've changed that a lot." Christa said.

Sarita gave a small smile. "I'm glad."

"He'll be okay… As long as he has his family."

Sarita nodded. "I hope so…" Sarita muttered.

* * *

Gill had waited nearly an hour, but he didn't mind he knew Clementine had other responsibilities. When the girl finally came to find him, she seemed to be in a chipper mood. It was completely different from how she had been over the last few days.

"They said Leena can go home soon." The girl beamed.

"Really?" Gill asked. "I bet you're excited."

"Yeah. I missed her being home." Clementine said.

"I'm sure you did." Gill said.

Clementine nodded and continued coloring.

"So… Can I ask you something?" Gill asked.

"Uh-huh."

"How does it feel?" Gill questioned.

"What?"

"Well… Being a mom. How does it feel? I mean, you're still a kid. You're younger than me." Gill said.

Clementine shrugged. "Umm… I don't know… I feel different…"

"Different how?"

"I just… I feel super protective all the time. And I get so nervous when I'm away from them… but I can't fully remember having them… Which makes me feel bad." Clementine said.

"Why can't you remember?" Gill asked.

"Christa said I had a head injury…" Clementine said. "I forgot a lot of stuff… Sometimes memories come back, but I don't always know if they're real or not…"

"Must be scary…" Gill said.

"I guess so… I've gotten pretty used to it though…" Clementine said.

"Oh… Why do you get nervous when you're away from the twins?" Gill asked his friend.

"I'm not sure. I just do…" Clementine answered. "I can't help it…"

Gill raised a brow. "Oh?"

"I just… I love them so much. I hate being away from them, even for a little while." Clementine admitted.

"I guess that makes sense." Gill nodded his understanding.

"So… Can I ask you something now?" Clementine said.

"Sure."

"You don't…" The girl seemed nervous to finish her question. She clutched to the stuff bear in her lap. "You don't think I'm annoying, r-right?"

"Of course not."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't think you're annoying. Why would I think you're annoying? We're friends." Gill said. He hadn't been expecting that question.

Clementine was a bit surprised by that. "Y-Yeah. We are."

"Why did you ask?" Gill asked.

"I… just wanted to be sure. I like having you as a friend." Clementine said.

Gill gave a smile. "Me too. Wanna play something else?"

"Like what?" Clementine asked.

"You can pick."

"…I wanted to explore outside, but Christa got mad at me for it last time." Clementine said.

"Why?"

"She doesn't think that it's safe here." Clementine said.

"Seems safe to me…" Gill shrugged. "Maybe if I go with you, she won't mind."

"Will you?" Clementine asked.

"Sure. I can show you around town." Gill suggested. "And we could play at the park if you want."

"Okay. I'll ask Christa." Clementine said.

"Okay." Gill said.

Clementine made her way back to her room while Gill began packing away the board game.

When Clementine entered the room, she noticed Christa sitting in the chair reading while the twins slept.

"Back already?" Christa asked as she looked to the small girl.

"Gill said he would show me around town… Is that okay?" Clementine asked.

"Clem…"

"Please? I'll come back soon." Clementine said. "And I won't be alone. Gill and Promise will be with me."

"…Alright, just be careful." Christa said.

Clementine smiled, she hadn't expected her guardian to say that.

"I will." Clementine said.

* * *

Gill pushed Clementine's wheelchair as he showed the young girl around. Every so often the girl would walk on her own, but whenever she felt tired, Gill would offer to push her.

The two were out for a while before Clementine caught sight of Sarah and Becca. "Sarah and Becca?" Clementine said, making her way over with Gill close behind.

"Clem? What are you doing out here?"

Becca's voice made the young girl jump in surprise.

"Gill's showing me around." Clementine answered.

"Christa really let you outside after what happened last time?" Becca scoffed.

Gill looked confused, "What happened last time?"

"She wanders off way too much." Becca said. "I'm surprised she hasn't gotten herself hurt yet."

"I was practicing shooting!" Clementine said.

"I doubt you even remember how to shoot." Becca scoffed.

"I do too! Lee taught me." Clementine said.

"Where are you two going?" Sarah asked.

"I was thinking about heading to the park." Gill said.

"Does Christa even know you're out here?" Becca asked Clementine.

"Yes, she knows." The child said.

"Well wherever you're heading, we should go with you. Knowing you, you'll probably get yourself in some kind of trouble." Becca said.

"I will not." Clementine argued.

"Will too." Becca said back.

"Don't fight… Please…" Sarah sighed.

"You two can come with us, if it's okay with Clem." Gill said.

Clementine paused, "As long as Becca's nice to me and Promise." She said.

Becca rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll be nice to you and your stupid be- I mean, to Promise."

"Good." Clementine said.

"Yeah, yeah." Becca huffed. "Let's see this park."

* * *

Sarita wore a frown as Kenny started to ready himself for his patrol shift. The man hadn't gotten sleep, he didn't need to be taking watch so often. "Kenny, I don't like this. You need to rest."

"I told you not to worry about me." Kenny brushed her off.

"I can't not worry about you. You're pushing yourself too hard." Sarita said.

"Edith needs people to help out around town. After all they're doing for us, someone has to show that we're grateful." Kenny said.

"You can't do much if you're exhausted." Sarita pointed out.

Kenny sighed, "I'm fine, really. I'm gonna go check on Clem and the twins before my patrol shift."

"Then let me come with you." Sarita urged.

Kenny however shook his head. "Stay here with Alvie…"

"But-"

"We don't need him being in the hospital like that. I don't want him getting sick or anything." Kenny said.

"I guess you're right…" Sarita sighed. "Just… Just don't push yourself."

"Sarita…"

"I mean it." Sarita said sternly.

"…I won't." Kenny said.

"Good..." Sarita kissed him feeling him kiss back. She soon broke the kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, hon."

* * *

The park wasn't anything fancy. Plenty of green field, a tire swing tied to a tree, a broken old seesaw, and a soccer ball beside a makeshift goal.

Gill sighed as he spotted a bike. It was a sign that other kids had been there earlier. He just hoped they weren't coming back anytime soon.

"Are you okay?" Clementine asked the boy, pulling him out his thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Gill said. "Want me to push you on the swing?"

"Will you?" The girl beamed in excitement.

"Sure." Gill said.

He helped the girl from her chair and let her head to the swing. He proceeded to push her.

Becca decided to start a game of catch with Sarah.

As Gill continued to push Clementine on the swing the two were shocked when a sudden arrow flew past, hitting the tree.

Clementine gasped, nearly falling from the swing in her shock.

"Bulls-eye!" A kid exclaimed.

"What the fuck?" Becca inquired. "That wasn't cool, Mason!"

"What? Not my fault she was in the way. Everyone knows we do target practice around here." Mason said.

"You could've really hurt her!" Gill said.

"Well, I didn't. Anyway, who said you could use our swing." Mason asked as he walked over. One of his friends trailed after him, like a lost puppy.

"It's not yours." Gill said. "Just leave us alone."

"Trying to act tough for your new girlfriend?" Another kid asked.

"She's not my girlfriend. She's just my friend…" Gill said.

A couple of the other kids seemed to take interest in Clementine's wheelchair. One of them took a seat in it when the other spun him around.

"T-That's Clem's chair." Sarah said.

"So?" One of the girl's said.

"So you should get out of it. It's not some toy." Becca huffed.

"Why doesn't she make us?" The girl asked.

"Just… Just get out the chair and we'll leave." Gill said.

The kids chuckled as they continued playing in the wheelchair.

Sarah frowned while Becca could feel herself getting annoyed.

"Get out the fucking chair before I make you." Becca said to the girl.

The girl seemed a bit intimidated but didn't move.

"If she needs it so bad, why doesn't she? She's standing just fine now." Mason said.

* * *

Kenny wasted no time heading to the hospital. Ignoring the concerned gazes from nurses, he dashed to the room that he knew Christa would be in. When he made it to the door, he could hear wails coming from inside he barged into the room.

Christa looked up, startled. "Kenny? What are you doing here?"

"What's going on?" Kenny questioned.

"What are you talking about?" Christa asked, confused and impatient as she finished changing Crystal's diaper.

"Why are they crying?" Kenny asked.

"Because they're babies, Kenny. Babies cry." Christa said.

Kenny paused for a moment before scanning the room. "Where's Clem?"

"She went to play with her friend." Christa said.

"You just let her go off on her own?" Kenny inquired.

Christa finally looked over to him. "She's been gone for only an hour. She's fine. She's playing with her friend."

"What friend? Where did they go?" Kenny demanded.

"She went to the park with a little boy named Gill. What's gotten into you?" Christa said.

Christa didn't get the chance to speak another word before Kenny took off.

Kenny searched through the building for the small girl. The child was nowhere to be found. His only thought was to find this "friend" Christa mentioned. He rushed outside searching for the girl. After a while he spotted Terrell and stormed over to the young guard.

"Where's Clem?" Kenny demanded.

"What?" Terrell raised a brow.

"You heard me. Where's Clementine?" Kenny asked.

"You folks don't do a good job at looking after that kid." Terrell tsked.

"You don't know shit about the situation." Kenny growled.

"I know you managed to lose the kid twice." Terrell replied.

"Just tell me where she is. Quit being a smart ass." Kenny ordered.

"How the hell am I supposed to know, old man?" Terrell asked.

"Christa told me she went to the park with her "friend"."

"Well, I'm standing right here, so obviously I didn't take her." Terrell shrugged. "Not that I would mind taking her to the park."

"You're not gonna take her anywhere. Just stay the hell away from her." Kenny said.

"Or what?" Terrell asked with a smirk.

"Don't test me." Kenny said.

Terrell shrugged. "Then I guess you have no problem with finding her on your own?"

Kenny huffed, "Where the hell is this park?"

"Oh so you need help no?" Terrell chuckled.

Kenny was seething.

"I'll take you." Terrell said.

* * *

Clementine was feeling awkward as she watched the older kids play in her wheelchair as if it were a toy. She was starting to regret coming to the park. "Let's just go… I don't need it anyway…"

"See. She doesn't need it." Mason said.

"Yes, you do, Clem." Becca said. "Look, just give the chair back. It's not a toy."

"Like I said, if she needs it so bad, she should come take it." The girl sitting in the chair said.

Becca huffed, "Come on, just hand it over."

"I thought you were cool, Becca. Why are you acting like this?" Mason questioned.

"Because I'm not gonna let you pick on her." Becca said.

"She's just an annoying little kid. You said so yourself." One of the other kids said.

Clementine frowned at that. She wasn't surprised to hear Becca had called her that.

"She may be annoying, but she's my family. So back off." Becca said.

"I'd be careful, the little girl's a crack shot." Terrell's voice drew their attention as he approached.

"Yeah, right. She's a cripple." Mason scoffed.

Clementine cringed. She hated that word. She hated being thought of as an invalid.

"That means nothing. I'm telling you, Clem here can shoot." Terrell said.

"Prove it." Mason said.

Kenny wanted to protest, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to let the girl show these bullies up.

"Let her take a shot with your bow and arrow." Terrell said.

Clementine hesitated. "I… I never shot one before."

"There's a first time for everything." Mason handed the little girl the weapon.

"Go on. You got this." Terrell urged.

Clementine gave a tiny nod and took the bow and arrow.

At that moment a child caught sight of Kenny and swore. "Damn it! A grown-up's here to ruin all the fun."

"No. He's cool. He was just checking on his girl." Terrell said.

The kids frowned at that quickly moving from the chair, hoping the man hadn't observed their behavior.

"You good here, Clem. These kids aren't being mean to you, right?" Kenny asked.

"We were just messing around. That's all." Mason said.

"I'll keep an eye on her." Becca said. "She's okay."

"Alright…" Kenny sighed before deciding to head to his patrol shift, leaving the children to play. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

Clementine held the bow and arrow in her small hands, taking aim she fired at a few trees.

"Not bad for a cripple." Mason chuckled.

There was that word again. She a surge of annoyance flood through her.

The others watched and she could hear some of the kids mutter to one another. She ignored them as she took a few more shots.

"Okay, that's enough, miss trigger happy." Mason stepped over to take his bow.

Clementine turned to the boy and without hesitation fired one last shot, hitting a tree beside them. "Don't fuck with me. Next time I won't miss." The girl said in a cold tone.

The kids gulped. Becca and Sarah stood in shock. Gill's eyes were wide in surprise and Terrell had a smirk on his face.

Clementine looked over to Sarah, Becca, and Gill. "I'm ready to go back. I need to check on the twins."

Gill simply nodded in response.

* * *

Kenny didn't trust Terrell. There was just something about the boy that bothered him.

He hated the fact that Clementine wanted to be around him. He hated the fact that everyone in town liked the boy so much. He hated that Christa trusted him enough that she let Clementine hang with him.

That boy was trouble and he knew it. He just wished other people did as well.

He huffed as he took look out. The man's brow furrowed as his single eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a small figure in the distant.

His thoughts raced and he uttered a quiet "What the hell?", as the figure walked closer, heading towards the town.

Hand on his gun, he found himself unable to raise it as he realized this figure was a small child…


	5. Chapter 5

_**Super long chapter to hopefully make up for the super long wait.**_

 _ **I did want to address that I have gotten a few pms and comments regarding the twins. To answer some questions, I did have plans for Clem to have twins for quite a while, when I had first started Unravel. I choose to use Crystal (OmnitrixWielder1124's OC) as Aleena's twin because I got to know and love her as a character. OmnitrixWielder1124 is also a good friend of mine on this website, and I'm glad he allowed me to use Crystal.**_

 _ **Anyway, thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

 _ **Without further ado, enjoy.**_

* * *

Kenny's eyes were wide when he noticed the small figure at the gate. A child… It had to be a child.

Without second thought, he went to open the gate. The second he did so the child seemed to freeze. It was a young girl, she looked about eight or nine. The girl was alone, which concerned him. It wasn't safe for a child to be alone in a world like this.

"Hey…" He spoke in a calm voice, trying not to startle the child. "Are you alright?"

The little girl seemed to start trembling.

Kenny slowly made his way towards her, "I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise."

The child didn't say a word. She looked around anxiously as if ready to run.

Not wanting to risk the chance of the child running off, Kenny stopped his movement. He reached for his walkie-talkie and spoke into it. "Edith, are you available."

"I'm free." Edith responded after a moment.

"Do you mind coming to the gate? It's important…" Kenny said.

A paused.

"What's going on?" Edith asked.

"Just get here… Please." Kenny sighed.

"On my way." Edith said.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay, Clem?" Gill asked. Clementine had lost count of how many times he had asked her that.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Clementine asked calmly as Gill pushed her chair back towards the hospital.

"I just… never saw you get like that before." Gill replied.

"I think it was pretty badass." Becca said.

"It was dangerous…. Someone could've gotten hurt." Gill said.

"And they would've deserved it." Clementine said.

Gill was surprised by how calm the girl was.

"Do you really mean that, Clem?" Sarah asked.

"I do." Clementine said. "They started it anyway."

"Forget them." Becca said. "How are my Goddaughters?"

"They're good. We can go see them if you want." Clementine said.

"Clem…I think I'm gonna head home. Mom gets nervous if I'm gone too long." Gill said.

"Oh… Okay, bye, Gill." Clementine said.

"See you, Clem." Gill said, before walking off.

"Do you think he's mad at me?" Clementine asked after a moment.

"What for?" Becca asked. "You did nothing wrong."

Clementine didn't know how to respond.

"C'mon. Let's go see the twins." Becca start pushing the wheelchair while Sarah followed along.

* * *

When Edith arrived at the gate, she was surprised to see the small child, clutching to a stuffed rabbit while trembling in fear.

Edith approached Danielle, but the child kept her distance from Edith.

She tried to talk to the girl, but the child refused to speak. She was clearly frightened by the strangers.

"Hi... My name's Edith..." Edith spoke in a gentle voice. "I know you're scared, hon… But we want to help you."

The child didn't break her stare, and she didn't say a word.

"That's a cute bunny." Edith said, seeing the toy the child had. "What's her name?" Edith asked.

Danielle looked down to the toy in her arms before looking back to Edith. She didn't appear as tense as when Edith had initially approached her.

Edith waited for the child to answer, but she didn't.

However, the child didn't keep staring at Edith with the same tense look from earlier. She started looking at her toy more often. A while went by before the child made an attempt to talk. Nothing came out. It was as if she didn't know how to talk.

"How about we get you inside?" Edith suggested.

The girl nearly took a step back.

"It's okay… You're safe here. I promise." Edith spoke in a gentle voice.

It took several moments before Edith was finally able to convince the girl that everything would be okay and that they want to help her.

The child hesitantly allowed Edith to take her small hand, while nervously eyeing Kenny every so often.

Edith knew not everyone would be happy about them letting the girl in, but there was no way they could just leave her out there. She was just an innocent child.

* * *

Edith and Kenny brought the panic-struck little girl to the hospital to be checked over. Seeing how nervous the child seemed in Kenny's presence, Edith asked him to wait outside.

The girl seemed to calm down a bit as Kenny left the room but panic quickly returned when she caught sight of the male doctor.

The girl tucked herself into a corner, clinging tightly to her stuffed toy.

"Sweetie, it's okay… Everything's okay…" Edith said.

The girl was nearly in tears and nothing they said could get her to move from the corner she was backed into.

"Honey, we just want to help you. I'm a doctor." The doctor said.

The child whimpered a bit, keeping her distance.

Edith noticed see seemed to panic more around men. She tapped the doctor's shoulder. "May I have a word with you outside?"

"Of course." The doctor said.

Edith looked over to the frightened child, "I'll be right back, sweetie."

The child gave no response. Edith was worried about the young girl. The two adults stepped from the room.

"I don't know what happened, but she… seems a bit frightened about men in general." Edith said. "Perhaps we could have a female doctor look her over."

"Oh…" The doctor said. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"I'm sorry about this, but I just don't want her to be uncomfortable." Edith explained.

"It's not big deal. I'll get another doctor to check in on her." The doctor replied.

"Thank you." Edith said.

Edith returned to the room as the doctor walked off. "It's okay, sweetie, he's gone."

The child still remained silent, looking nervous.

"No one's going to hurt you, I promise. You're safe here." Edith said.

She didn't expect a response from the little girl.

"Where are your parents? Your mommy and daddy?" Edith asked.

The girl lowered her head with a frown.

Edith didn't take long to realize that the child's parents were probably gone. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I… I'm going to look after you. I'll make sure you're okay. I promise."

* * *

When the girls got into the hospital, they headed to the room but were surprised to see a couple doctors inside.

"Wh-What's going on?" Clementine called.

"Aleena had an apnea episode." Christa answered.

"What's that mean?" Sarah asked.

"She stopped breathing..." Christa said looking worried.

Suddenly, Clementine found her own self having difficulty breathing. She felt her body quiver a bit. An uneasy feeling in her stomach as a vision of the past filled her mind.

The girl felt her knees buckle and the world around her went dark. She couldn't hear the concerned calls of her name. She couldn't feel Christa take her into her arms and carry her over to the bed.

She was completely lost in her mind.

 _She found herself in some house. Luke was helping her after a bath and suddenly she could hear the yells of a woman- though she couldn't recall the person's name._

 _"LUKE! LUKE, GET IN HERE!" The woman's voice was filled with panic. A panic that made Clementine nervous as well._

 _Clementine felt herself being scooped up by Luke and rushed into a living room. There stood the woman, doing CPR on baby Aleena, while Crystal cried from the noise around her._

 _"What's wrong?!" Luke asked, concern in his voice._

" _The baby stopped breathing!" The woman yelled._

 _Clementine found herself struggling to remember this woman's name._

 _"W-What?!" Luke placed Clementine down and rushed over to the woman. "What the hell happened?!"_

 _"She... she just stopped breathing!" The woman replied._

 _Luke took over the CPR. Aleena baby was limp as a ragdoll, but she still had a pulse. It took many compressions and rescue breaths before the tiny infant once again began squirming and crying._

 _Clementine forced herself to her feet, reaching for her daughter._

 _Luke passed the baby over to Clementine, helping the child take a seat back on the bed._

 _Clementine hugged her daughter close and shot the woman a distrusting look, wondering what she had done to her baby._

 _She tried to recall the woman's name, but she drew blank. Nothing was registering… yet she had a bad feeling about her._

 _The more she thought about it, the more her head her. As images flashed in her mind. More memories of that woman flooded her thoughts…the nail file, the pills, and the deck..._

"Clementine, breathe." Christa's voice reached her ears, and she felt the woman's hands on her shoulders as she snapped back into reality.

She couldn't ward off the anguish she felt, along with anger.

 _That woman_... _Jane..._

 _ **Jane...**_

Realization quickly hit her… Jane had tried to kill her baby.

"C-Clem?" Sarah said nervously, almost whispering. "Are you okay?"

Clementine barely registered the question; the flashback shook her. She could feel her little body trembling. She held her chest and took a breath, then another, and another.

"It's okay, you're safe, Clem. Just breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth." Christa said.

Clementine did her best to follow Christa's instructions.

"Are you okay?" Christa asked slowly and deliberately, her expression filled with worry.

"I…" Clementine paused, looking around the room, she noticed she was still in the hospital room, now seating on the bed with Christa kneeling in front of her. "Y-Yeah… I want to hold my babies."

"Sure, Clem. Sure." Christa said.

Clementine felt sick. "W-Why? Why did my baby stop breathing?"

"Possibly sleep apnea. Infant with severe BPD usually tend to have higher apnea hypopnea." One of the medics said.

All three of the girls looked confused.

"Sleep apnea is when someone stops breathing in their sleep. Aleena stopped breathing for about forty second. She's okay now, but we're going to have to keep a close eye on her..." Christa said.

"We can't be entirely sure if it was apnea. It could have been something else not related to her BPD. It could have been a case of SIDS caught early." The medic said.

"SIDS? What is SIDS?" Clementine asked nervously.

"Sudden infant death syndrome…" Sarah said. "I read about it in one of dad's medical books…"

Clementine felt panic hit her. "My baby's not gonna die, r-right?"

"She's not going to die, Clem. I promise. Both your twins are okay." Christa said.

"We did an oximetry test. The good thing is she's okay. The bad news is you guys are going to have to stay here another day or two so we can monitor her." The medic said.

Clementine couldn't even complain. She just wanted to be sure her daughter was okay.

Christa placed the twins into their mother's grip and Clementine held them close. "Girls, I think it might be best if you two head home… The twins will be fine. I promise."

"Okay… See you later, Clem…" Sarah said.

Clementine didn't respond to her friends; she just kept her attention on her babies, while listening to Aleena's soft breathing.

* * *

Clementine held the twins in her arms, sitting almost as if frozen in place.

It had been a good while since the doctors, as well as Sarah and Becca left.

"How about you put them in the crib so they can sleep?" Christa spoke to the girl.

Clementine shook her head. "I don't want to."

"They'll be fine, Clem."

"I don't want to take the risk." The child wore a solemn expression as she muttered, "I hate hospitals."

"Don't say that, Clem." Christa sighed.

"I do…" Clementine said.

"Hate's a strong word. You shouldn't say it unless you mean it." Christa said.

"I do mean it." Clementine stated. "I really do."

"Well, hospitals help a lot of people. It's a good thing they helped Aleena." Christa replied.

"Yeah…" Clementine said. "But if my mommy was here, she could've helped Leena herself. We wouldn't have to go to a hospital. Mommy was a very good doctor. She worked super hard."

"I'm sure she was a good doctor." Christa said. "But hospitals aren't bad, Clem."

"I feel like we're trapped here."

"We don't have much longer before we can leave, sweetie." Christa said.

"They said we could go home tomorrow, but now they're gonna make us stay longer…" Clementine mumbled.

"They just want to be sure Aleena's okay…" Christa told her.

"Except she's not okay. Or they wouldn't want to send her home with that giant oxygen tank…" Clementine huffed. "It's bigger than her."

"Being able to go home is progress." Christa said. "Try not to be so negative…" She knew Clementine had picked up her negative thinking from other people around her. The little girl wasn't like this when she first met her…

"Okay…" Clementine said with a sigh. "I'll try not to be…"

"I have a surprise for you." Christa suddenly said.

Clementine didn't reply. She wasn't in the mood for surprises.

Christa still went to grab the "surprise". She was sure the child would like it.

When she did, Clementine wasn't expecting to see a pair of crutches with a brace on them. "These are forearm crutches. The doctor thinks this might help you with your walking. I know you're tired of the wheelchair."

Clementine hesitated to look at the crutches before asking, "Can I try them?"

"Sure." Christa said. "Can I put the twins in their crib?"

Clementine bit her lip, clutching to them for a moment. "Th-They'll be okay, right?"

"They'll be fine. Don't worry." Christa reassured the child.

"…Okay…."

Christa gently took the twins from Clementine's arms and placed them in their crib. After doing so she help Clementine put on the forearm crutches.

The girl tried her balance with them for a few minutes before asking, "Can… Can I practice in the hall?"

"Okay, just be careful. And don't tire yourself out too much." Christa said.

"I'm always careful." Clementine claimed.

"We both know that's not true." Christa said.

"I will be though." Clementine said. "I can take care of myself."

"Alright, Clem."

* * *

Kenny stood in the silent hallway, pacing back and forth.

He was worried about the young girl he had found. What was a child doing all alone? The girl had seemed terrified. Kenny was bewildered. Had she been separated from her group?

As he continued pacing, he didn't even notice little Clementine stumbling towards him, with a pair of crutches. It wasn't until the child called out, "Kenny!" that he looked over to her.

"Hey, Clem. When'd you get those?" Kenny asked, noticing her new crutches.

"Just now… Christa gave them to me." Clementine said.

"That's good. How was the park?" Kenny asked.

"Okay..." Clementine's response was vague. She didn't want to talk about it.

"When'd you get back?" Kenny asked.

"A while ago. I didn't want to play with those kids..." Clementine admitted.

"Well, where's your little boyfriend?" Kenny asked in a slightly teasing tone.

Clementine wrinkled her nose. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Okay, okay. Where's your friend?" Kenny rephrased.

"Gill had to go home." Clementine said. "I would've liked to play with Terrell more, but I wanted to be with my twins."

Kenny rose a brow, "What do you like so much about that Terrell guy?"

Clementine shrugged. "He's nice. And he's cute."

Kenny frowned at that. "You think he's cute."

Clementine nodded and Kenny didn't miss the light blush on the child's face.

"Well he's too old for you. Boys his age only want one thing anyway." Kenny said.

"To fuck?" Clementine questioned.

Kenny cringed at that. "Uh… forget I said anything…"

Clementine shrugged.

"What are you doing by yourself, darlin'? Where's Christa?" Kenny asked.

"In the room…" Clementine muttered. "She said I could practice with these…"

Kenny noticed the glum look on the girl's face and asked, "Something the matter?"

"I want to go home. I'm tired of being here." Clementine said.

"You could always come back with me and Sarita, darlin'."

"I want to go home with my daughters." Clementine said.

"I know..."

"Aleena stopped breathing earlier…" Clementine mumbled.

Kenny's eyes widened. "What?! Is she okay?"

"She's okay now… But I want her to be okay forever. They're supposed to be doctors! Why aren't they making Leena healthy?" Clementine huffed.

"She's here so they can make her healthy…" Kenny said.

"They said we could leave soon, but they lied. They always lie! I wish my mommy was here. She'd make Leena all better. We wouldn't need to be in a stupid hospital." Clementine said.

"Hey, calm down... They just want to help, Clem." Kenny said.

"Well, they're not helping!" Clementine snapped.

"They're doing their best, Clem." Kenny replied calmly.

"I guess their best isn't good enough." Clementine crossed her arms.

"What's gotten into you, Clementine? You never act like this." Kenny said.

"I… I just feel like we're trapped here. They keep saying we can leave soon and then changing their minds." Clementine said with a frown. "Christa said Leena's gonna be okay. I don't want her to die."

"She's not gonna die. I promise you that, darlin'." Kenny said. "Trust me."

"You can't promise that… Everyone dies…" Clementine said.

"We ain't gonna let that happen." Kenny said, pulling the small girl into a hug. "We'll make sure Aleena's okay…"

"…Okay…" Clementine muttered, allowing the embrace. She slowly broke the hug after a moment and asked, "Why are you here, Kenny?"

"Well… we found someone at the gate…" Kenny said.

"Really?" Clementine asked. "Are they naughty- I mean bad?"

"No. They're not… They're a little girl." Kenny said.

"Can I meet her?" Clementine asked.

"Sorry, Clem, but now's not a good time. She seems really scared of something." Kenny said.

"Oh… Of what?"

"I don't know…" Kenny said. "Kid hasn't said a word."

"Is she scared of something… or _someone_?" Clementine asked.

Kenny furrowed his brows at the question. "I'm… not sure, Clem… Look, go back in the room with Christa. I want you to stay close with her until we figure out the answer to that question of yours."

"Okay…"

"Thata girl." Kenny said.

* * *

When the female doctor stepped into the room Edith noticed the child started trembling a bit.

Edith did her best to calm the young girl, telling her she need not be afraid. "You're in a hospital, sweetie. The doctor just wants to help you. I know you're scared, but no one's gonna hurt you, I promise."

The girl eventually calmed enough to allow the doctor to examine her.

The doctor checked the child for any signs of injury, finding a couple scrapes and bruise from presumed falls but no major injuries. She used the stethoscope around her neck to check the child's heartbeat. "Heartrate is good." She said.

She then took the child's hand and checked her pulse.

She warmed the stethoscope and placed it on the child's back feeling her flinch slightly. She checked the girl's breathing.

She checked the girls eye sight by taking an index finger and have the girl track it with her eyes.

When the doctor finished her examination she tried to speak to the girl, "Can you tell me your name, sweetie?"

Not a word.

"How old are you?"

Silence.

The doctor frowned before looking to Edith. "May I have a word with you, please?"

Edith nodded and looked to the little girl, "I'll be right back, sweetie." She stepped outside with the doctor. "How is she?"

"She should be fine. We'll just let her rest and when she's stable enough we'll try to speak with her again." The doctor said.

"She's probably hungry..." Edith said.

The doctor hummed, "We should wait a few hours before giving her something to eat. Wouldn't want to risk her just getting sick. She clearly has some emotional trauma."

"Yeah… Okay…" Edith nodded.

"She has no serious injuries, but who knows what she's been through…" The doctor said. "Was there anyone else with her?"

"No… She was all alone." Edith replied.

"Poor kid…"

"Yeah…" Edith agreed.

"You should talk to the town leaders and see if it's fine to let her stay." The doctor said.

Edith looked surprised by those words. "She's a child. They shouldn't have a problem with it…"

"With everything that's been going on… they just might…" The doctor said.

Edith pondered on the words as the other woman walked away. She knew she had to bring this to the leaders' attention as well as inform the other guards, she wondered what their reaction would be.

She sighed, that would have to wait. For now, she had a child to look after.

With some hesitation Edith grabbed her walkie talkie. "Edith to Kenny."

"Go." Kenny's voice came through.

"Can you let the others know of our… situation?" Edith asked.

"Will do." Kenny said.

* * *

It took a while and some reassurance before the child felt comfortable enough to fall asleep. The child was now out like a light, tucked into a warm blanket on the hospital bed.

Edith had been quietly sitting by her bedside while Kenny had gone to inform the town leaders of the child's sudden arrival. When Edith heard her radio buzz she jumped, having been lost in her thoughts. She waited a few moments, hoping no one would call for her. Her hope crumbled as she heard a voice call her name. With a sigh and some brief hesitation, she hit the button on the radio to speak. "Go for Edith…"

"Meeting in town hall."

Those were the last words Edith wanted to hear.

"When?" Edith asked.

"Now…"

Edith frowned. She couldn't just leave the sleeping child. She thought of asking one of the nurses to look after her but decided against it. She thought on it some more- she felt there was one person who she could trust to look after the child. That person had a lot on her plate, Edith knew that much… But still, she felt that she could trust her more than anyone else...

* * *

A knock at the door drew Christa's attention. The woman placed down the book she was reading, wondering who was at the door. She glanced over to Clementine who was looking through a book herself.

Christa went over to the door and pulled it open. She was surprised to see Edith, who looked a bit distraught.

"Edith, is everything okay?" Christa asked.

"I… have a favor to ask of…" Edith said.

"Okay… What's up?"

"Kenny… found a little girl alone at the gate. We brought her in to get checked out." Edith started to explain.

"Is she okay…?" Christa asked.

"She's fine… for the most part…." Edith said. "She's sleeping now…"

"What do you mean for the most part?" Christa wondered.

"It's just… No one's been able to get a word out of her. Not even her name." Edith said.

"…Oh…" Christa said. "Maybe she's mute?"

"Maybe… I don't know…"

"Well, what did you need me to do?" Christa questioned.

Edith paused, "I have to go to a meeting. I was hoping you could keep an eye on her until I get back. I know it's a lot to ask and you have your hands full with Clem and the twins, but I didn't want to leave her alone and I-"

"I'll keep an eye on her. Don't worry." Christa said.

"You will?" Edith ask, looking surprised.

"Yeah. The twins are asleep, and Clem's preoccupied with a book right now." Christa said. "It's no big deal."

"Thank you so much!" Edith said. "Her room is about four doors away, on the left side. You can't miss it."

Christa nodded. "Got it. I'll be sure to check in on her."

"Thank you." Edith said.

"No problem."

As Edith headed off Clementine spoke up, "What did Edith want?" The girl had heard bits and pieces of what was said, but not everything.

Christa looked to the child, studying the book she was reading. The woman furrowed her brows as she noticed the small girl was reading a "parenting" book. "Don't worry about it. Bedtime's in twenty minutes."

"Do I have to? I'm not even tired." Clementine protested.

"You need your rest, Clem." Christa said.

"But I'm too awake." The child complained.

"No buts, Clementine. You're still a little kid. You have to get your rest."

"I'm getting sick of hearing that… I'm not a kid." Clementine argued.

Christa was taken aback by the girl's bitter tone. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not a kid. And I want you to stop calling me that." Clementine said in a firm voice.

Christa shot the child a look. "Don't talk to me like that, Clementine. You are a kid."

Clementine placed her book in her lap and crossed her arms stubbornly. "Stop calling me a kid."

"You ARE a kid. We're not going to have this conversation." Christa said. "And you better not take that tone with me, ever again."

Clementine pouted a bit but kept quiet looking back to her book.

"Twenty minutes." Christa repeated before walking out the room to catch up with Edith.

* * *

Christa made her way into the room the little girl was in. The child was still fast asleep. She was clinging tightly to a stuffed toy.

Christa couldn't help but wonder what the young girl had been through.

She took a seat in an empty chair. Picking up a magazine, Christa proceeded to look through it while the child slept.

She waited patiently for either Edith to return or the young girl to wake up.

She hoped that Clementine and the twins would be okay while she was in here. She didn't like leaving them alone for too long.

* * *

Clementine continued reading through the parenting book for a while. She would check on the twins every so often, but they were fast asleep.

The girl was curious on what Christa was doing. She had heard part of the conversation, but not word for word.

The child placed the book down and slowly climbed out of bed. She glanced over to her wheelchair before deciding to grab her crutches.

After checking that the twins were still asleep, the girl slowly made her way to the door, peeking out the room. When she didn't see anyone, she carefully made her way into the hall.

She made her way down the hall, wondering which room, Christa was in.

She continued down the hall, too nervous to knock on the closed door. However, her attention was drawn when she heard a voice speaking from what seemed like a storage closet. The girl moved closer, noticing the door was cracked open. She peered through, and noticed Terrell talking to someone one a radio.

She struggled to lean closer, as to hear what was being said.

"Relax, everything's going according to plan…" She heard Terrell say.

Plan? What plan was he talking about?

"We should just hold off on things a little longer." Terrell spoke again.

Clementine was more than confused. She wanted to question the older boy about what he was talking about, who he was talking to… but she didn't want to be accused of ease dropping.

The girl decided to her back to her room, but upon turning she lost her footing and tripped.

Hearing her fall the door opened and Terrell stepped into the hall.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Terrell asked, emerging from closet after hearing the commotion.

Clementine felt her cheeks heat up a bit. "Y-Yeah... I just tripped."

Terrell gently helped the girl to her feet. "Those are new." He motioned to the crutches.

"Christa gave them to me." Clementine said. "…What are you doing here?"

"Checking supplies." Terrell said. "What are you doing out here alone?"

"Just… trying out these crutches…" Clementine quickly said.

"Oh… Must've be hard for you to balance with those…" Terrell said. "You didn't get hurt did you?"

"No… I'm fine…" Clementine said. She was so tempted to ask him who he was talking to but was nervous to do so.

"That's good." Terrell said. "I'm surprised you're still here. In this hospital."

"Leena stopped breathing earlier… They're going to keep us longer because of it." Clementine explained. "They said a few days…"

"Sorry to hear that." Terrell said.

"Me too…" Clementine muttered.

"You must get bored being stuck here."

"Kind of…. I just want Aleena to feel better though." Clementine said.

"I'm sure she will." Terrell said.

"I… should get back to the room." Clementine muttered.

"Is your room far from here?" Terrell asked.

"Not really…" Clementine said.

"You wouldn't mind if I walked you back, would you?" Terrell asked.

"N-Not at all…" Clementine said.

Terrell did just as he said and walked the young girl to her room.

Clementine couldn't help but feel her heart pound in her chest. She was disappointed when they arrived at her down.

"This it?"

"Yeah… Thanks." Clementine said.

"No problem." Terrell said. "Maybe I'll drop by to see you tomorrow."

"Really?" Clementine said. "I mean… You don't have to."

"I want to. You're fun to be around." Terrell said. "Plus, you're a nice shot."

Clementine found herself blushing once more. "Thanks…"

"Goodnight, Clem."

"Goodnight, Terrell."

* * *

"What I'd like to know is what you two were thinking bring someone else into town?" One of the guards asked.

"She's a child, Frank." Edith said. "We couldn't just leave her."

"How do we know she's not with some group?" Frank said. "How do we know the people she's with won't attack us?"

"She just an innocent child. I don't think she's with anyone." Edith said.

"We don't know anything about the child. You don't even know her name." A woman spoke up.

"That doesn't matter, Nancy. She needed help, so we helped her." Edith said.

Nancy just shook her head.

"And she hasn't spoken a word, you say?" Another guard asked.

"Something must've really traumatized her…" Edith said.

"We don't know who she's with and from what you're saying she refuses to tell us." Nancy huffed. "Sounds suspicious.

"Maybe she can't. She might be mute." Edith said.

Some of the group exchanged looks and unsure mutters.

"So what, are you people really willing to kick a child out because you're scared of raiders? She's just an innocent little girl." Kenny spoke up.

"We don't want to kick her out." Another woman said.

"You people sure act like it. This little girl has been through a lot. She needed help and I'd be damned if I hadn't helped her." Kenny said.

"We can't just throw a child out… Children… Children should be protected. They're our hope for a brighter future." Edith added.

"We won't throw the child out. But do you at least know who she's with? We don't need anyone thinking we kidnapped her." Frank said.

"Like I said before, I don't think she's with anyone." Edith said. "I think she's alone."

"No way. A child can't survive out there on their own." Frank said.

"I'm with Frank." Nancy said. "A child can't make it out there alone…"

"Kids can be pretty damn tough…" Kenny said.

"Not that tough…" Nancy said.

"If she's alone, who's gonna look after her?" Another guard asked.

Silence filled the room, Kenny opened his mouth to speak, but Edith spoke first. "I will."

All eyes turned to her.

"Look, I don't know what happened or who she's with, but I'm gonna look after her, make sure she's safe." Edith said.

"What about your watch shift?" Frank asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take over for her." Kenny said.

Edith was surprised to hear that. "Are… Are you sure?"

Kenny nodded. "Just take care of that kid."

"…I will." Edith said.

"Okay then. The child will be placed under your care, at least for the time being." Frank said.

Edith sighed in relief, nodding in response. "I got it."

* * *

It was late when Kenny arrived home. He was quiet as he entered the house, as not to wake anyone. Exhausted he headed straight towards his bedroom.

Upon entering the room, he kicked off his shoes and started to settle down. However, a voice nearly caused him to jump.

"Kenny?" Sarita called.

"Yeah, hon…"

"You're back late… Where were you?" Sarita said.

"A meeting…" Kenny answered.

"A meeting at this time?" Sarita said.

"It was urgent…" Kenny said. "How are the kids?"

"Fast asleep." Sarita said

"Good..." Kenny said.

The was a brief silence as he settled in bed.

"I'm gonna... take over Edith's watch shifts for a while."

Sarita was surprised to hear that. "You can't do that. You're barely getting any rest as it is. You'll make yourself ill if you keep pushing yourself."

"I have to, Sarita. I already told her I would." Kenny said.

"Kenny..."

"We found a child earlier... A little girl... a bit younger than Clem..." Kenny said. "She was all alone. Edith's gonna to look after her... She needed someone to take her watch shifts so the kid can have time to settle in."

"...Then... Then let me help you." Sarita pleaded.

Kenny shook his head. "I can't do that, Sarita."

"Why not?" Sarita asked.

"Because it's too dangerous." Kenny said. "I can't put my family at risk."

"What are you talking about? We're safe here..." Sarita said.

"I can't take any chances..." Kenny paused. "The other day, they caught a doctor stealing supplies... That boy Clem hangs with, Terrell... offer to execute him."

"Oh my gosh. Did he...?" Sarita asked.

"I don't know..." Kenny said. "But I'm not putting my family at risk... I'll protect y'all with my life..."

"I know you will..." Sarita said.

"I don't trust Clem around that boy..." Kenny sighed. "Frankly, I wish Christa would just bring her and the twins here. We can make space."

"Do you think she'd be comfortable?" Sarita asked.

"I don't know... But I'd feel better if they were here..." Kenny said.

"Maybe I can convince Christa to stay with us." Sarita offered.

"Maybe. I know if I suggested it, she sure as hell would refuse." Kenny groaned as he laid down.

"I guess we'll see what happens..." Sarita said.

"I guess so." Kenny agreed.

"Now... let's try to get some sleep... You need it." Sarita said.

"Okay, hon. Okay."

* * *

The next day Edith took it upon herself to try to get some info on the child.

"Sweetie, can you tell me your name?" Edith asked the young girl.

The little girl bit her lip refusing to respond.

"I know you're scared, but I promise you're safe here." Edith tried to reassure the child.

The child didn't reply, but Edith noticed the skeptical look she wore.

"Were you with a group? Who was looking after you?" Edith asked.

Still nothing.

"Okay… You don't have to answer now. Whenever you feel comfortable…" Edith paused for a moment before speaking, "Okay… I've had an idea…"

The child gave her a curious look.

"Maybe you can use this, instead of talking." Edith presented the child with a notepad.

The girl didn't even move to accept it.

"You don't have to write anything now… I'm just giving you this, in case you feel like telling me anything." Edith said.

The girl paused and slowly took it.

Edith remained patient, though the child didn't write a single word.

* * *

When Gill came to visit Clementine the boy seemed withdrawn, and nervous almost.

He wasn't the only one being closed off. Clementine also seemed reserved at the time. "I don't think I can play… Not until Leena's out of the hospital."

"Okay… But can I ask you something?" Gill said.

"Sure…"

"The other day, when you aimed that bow at those kids… You wouldn't have shot anyone… right?" Gill asked.

"I didn't have to… So no." Clementine said.

"…Did you regret it?" Gill asked.

"Why would I?" Clementine questioned back.

"Well…Don't you think it was dangerous?" Gill asked. "Someone could've gotten hurt…"

"And that would've been their fault. They would've deserved it." Clementine said.

"My… dad was shot…" Gill said. "I don't think it's okay for people to play with weapons like that."

"I wasn't playing." Clementine said. "I was dead serious. Maybe that will teach them not to fuck with me."

Gill frowned. He wasn't used to his friend acting this way. "I… guess I'll see you around. I don't want mom getting worried."

"Okay… See you, Gill…" Clementine said.

"Bye Clem…"

* * *

Everyone could tell the child had been through a lot. She didn't speak to anyone and wouldn't look anyone in the eye. Each time someone approached her she seemed frightened. She wouldn't respond to any questions asked to her any eventually the doctors would give up asking.

At first people thought she was shy, but after an entire day of silence from the girl the doctors wondered if she was just mute.

Now three days into being in the town and still no one knew a thing about the girl- not even her name.

The first day Edith had simply allowed the girl to sleep, eat, and settle in, not pestering her with too many questions as not to frighten her. The second day she tried to learn a bit about the girl, by the child wasn't even will to give up her name. It was now day three and the girl still seemed reluctant to answer any personal questions.

However, Edith remained by her side, making sure she was well taken care of.

The girl seemed most at ease when Edith was by her side or at least it made her feel less anxious.

She didn't speak a word, but she was becoming more comfortable being in Edith's care.

Edith had given the girl a notepad and pen to communicate her needs, which the child rarely resorted to doing.

Now the two sat at a table and the cafeteria as Edith once again tried to speak with the girl urging her to write down her name or where her parents were, anything really…

However, the girl didn't budge. She silently played with her stuff toy.

Edith sighed. "I'm gonna get us something to drink. Hopefully you like apple juice."

The small girl gave a tiny nod.

Edith smiled a small smile. "Apple juice it is." Edith stood to go get the girl a drink.

The child sat at the table silently playing with her stuffed bunny.

She flinched a bit when she heard a voice from the hall call out, "Clementine, take it easy, sweetie."

"I'm okay." Clementine called back as she made her way into the cafeteria. Clementine was struggling a bit to keep her balance with her crutches and had to regain balance by catching hold of a nearby table.

The little girl sitting at the table looked to her with a curious expression. Clementine looked to the young girl who she had nearly bumped into. "S-Sorry!"

The girl lowered her gaze and said nothing.

"Are you okay?" Clementine asked.

No response.

Clementine paused, knitting her brows together. "Um…. Can I sit with you?"

The girl shrugged, looking away while toying with her stuffed rabbit.

Clementine slowly took a seat beside the other child. "So… Do you like it here?"

She got no response nor reaction.

"I don't… It's kind of boring." Clementine said. "But… I guess I shouldn't complain… We only have to stay until Leena feels better… How long have you been here?"

The other girl kept quiet.

"Probably long enough, huh?" Clementine asked.

The younger girl continued playing with her stuffed toy, hardly acknowledging the other child.

"Um… Am I annoying you?" Clementine paused as the other girl finally looked to her and shrugged. Clementine felt a bit hurt. "Sorry… Becca says I'm annoying, but I don't try to be…. I guess I just am…" She trailed off. "Becca's my friend by the way… And Aleena's God-mom."

Silence fell over the two for a bit. Clementine watched the girl play with her stuff rabbit. "She's a cute bunny."

A small smile crossed the girl's lip and she gave a small nod.

"Oh! I should've introduced myself." Clementine said. "My name's Clementine. What's yours?"

No response.

"Clementine? What are you doing here? Where's Christa?" Edith asked.

"I was going to bring Christa breakfast. She's helped me a lot, so I wanted to do something for her." Clementine said.

"That's nice, but where's your chair?" Edith asked.

"In the room." Christa's voice drew their attention to her. "Clementine, how many times do I have to talk to you about wandering off."

"I wasn't wandering off. I was talking to my friend." Clementine said.

The other girl was surprised by those words. She had barely acknowledged Clementine's presence, yet she was calling her a friend. The least she could do was give the girl her name.

"Where are the twins?" Clementine asked.

"With the nurse. You need to tell me before you just leave the room. Do I have to put a leash on you or something?" Christa said.

Clementine pouted at that. "No… I'm not an animal."

"I know you're not. But you keep running off…" Christa said. "Back to the room. Now."

"But-"

"No buts. Now, Clementine." Christa said.

Without the others noticing, the quiet child began writing on the notepad Edith had given her earlier. Just as Clementine was about to leave, she tapped the other child's arm and motioned to the notepad.

Clementine looked at the pad, seeing a single word. A name. "Danielle? That's your name?"

The girl, Danielle gave a nod.

Christa and Edith exchanged looked while Clementine gave the girl a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Danielle." Clementine said.

* * *

"So your name's Danielle? That's a really pretty name." Edith said.

Danielle gave a small smile at that.

"And… what's your bunny's name?" Edith asked her.

Danielle took the notepad and pencil and wrote something down. She offered it back to Edith with the word 'Flopsie' on it. "Flopsie. Is that name of your bunny?" Edith asked.

Danielle nodded.

"That's a nice name." Edith said. "How old are you sweetie?"

The child nodded before holding out her hand to get the notepad again. Edith gave it to her, and the child wrote down her age before handing it back to Edith.

"Ten?" Edith sounded a bit surprised. The girl was pretty small for her age. "You know little Clementine is close to your age. I'm sure you two would get along well."

Danielle simply shrugged in response.

"So… where are you coming from, sweetie? Did you have a group?"

Danielle lowered her head not responding.

After a while Edith decided to drop the conversation. The child was clearly uncomfortable. Edith wondered if she could come up with a way to make the child more willing to talk.

* * *

"She wouldn't tell anyone anything about her. Clem's the first person who got her to even give her name." Edith said.

"So you basically want to use Clem to interrogate her?" Christa asked.

"I want Clem around while I ask her questions- to make Danielle comfortable. Having another young child around might help." Edith said.

"I wouldn't have a problem with it, but Clem has been worried about Aleena..." Christa said.

"Oh no... is Aleena okay?" Edith asked.

"She's had some sleep apnea..." Christa said. "Apparently, it's not uncommon in babies with BPD."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." Edith said.

"It's a scary thing, but...she's okay... She's still a happy baby. Just not sure when we can leave this hospital." Christa said.

"Oh... maybe I should wait... we could give the girls some time to settle with everything and then set up a play date." Edith suggested.

"They'd probably like that." Christa said.

Edith nodded.

"Clem tries not to show it around other people, but it's really bothering her. Poor kid barely slept for the past few nights."

Edith frowned. "It must be tough for her."

"It is. She wants to be a supermom, but she's still just a kid..." Christa said. "She tries to convince herself that she's an adult..."

"But she's just a little kid…" Edith said.

"I know…" Christa said. "I just wish she would understand that. She thinks I should treat her like an adult because she's a mother now. It doesn't work like that."

"Right… I know Gill came by the other day, but I haven't seen him for a while… Did they get into a fight?" Edith asked.

"I don't think so… She hasn't really wanted to be around anyone. Terrell did drop by a time or two… I think Clem has a bit of a crush on that boy…" Christa said.

"She wouldn't be the only one." Edith rolled her eyes a bit. "Girls around town love him."

"He's nice though. Treats her like a little sister." Christa said.

"That's nice." Edith said.

"For the most part…" Christa said. "Look… I'll talk to Clem and see if she'll be up to spend some time with Danielle. But I can't promise anything. Clementine has a lot going on."

"That's understandable. I appreciate it." Edith said.

"No problem…" Christa replied.

* * *

Another day and the doctors deemed it was okay for Danielle to go home.

"Ready to go, sweetie? I'm sure you're tired of being here."

Danielle gave a small shrug. Danielle wrote out something and Edith read it.

 _"How's Clementine?"_

"She's doing okay... I think… Would you like to see her?" Edith asked.

Danielle paused before quickly shaking her head. She didn't know if Clementine would want to see her.

"That's fine… Maybe another day." Edith said.

Danielle nodded.

Edith offered the girl her hand, "Come on. Let's go home."

Danielle hesitantly took her hand.

* * *

Upon arriving at Edith's home, Danielle began to take in her surroundings. The place was small, but it was neat. It seemed like a nice place. Still, Danielle felt a bit anxious being somewhere new. It felt strange; she wasn't used to being in a house. It had been so long since she had a home...

The child couldn't help but feel sad as she thought of the last time she was comfortable in her own house. That was back when her mother was alive… Back before everything fell apart.

"I know this is a big change... but I want you to feel comfortable. You're safe here." Edith told the child.

Danielle gave the woman an appreciative look but kept silent.

The young girl spent the day trying her best to get settled in.

"Are you hungry, Danielle? I can get you something to eat." Edith said.

Danielle gave a small nod in response.

"Okay. Let's get you some food." Edith said.

She walked toward the kitchen with Danielle following. "What are you hungry for?" Edith asked.

Danielle wrote on the notepad again and handed it to Edith.

Edith accepted the pad and read it.

"Anything, huh?" Edith said. "I'm glad you're not a picky eater. Let's see if we can find you something that most little kids like."

Danielle nodded in response.

Edith started to prepare some food while Danielle took a seat at the table.

Danielle sat down and wrote out something on the notepad before handing it to Edith. It read 'thank you'.

"You're welcome, hon." Edith said.

Danielle smiled before she began to eat.

Edith watched the young girl as she ate. She would look over her shoulder every few minutes. She was still curious on what had happened to the girl. Where was her group? Or her parents.

"Were you with a group before we found you, Danielle? Was anyone looking after you?" Edith asked.

Danielle got the notepad and wrote down 'I was with a group, but most of them are dead.

"I'm sorry to hear that, hon... What happened to your mommy and daddy?" Edith asked.

Danielle wrote on the notepad again and presented it to Edith. It read 'I never had a dad. I found mommy at our camp in the woods. Someone shot her.'

"Oh my gosh..." Edith frowned.

Danielle nodded. She was still unhappy over what happened to her mother.

"I'll look after you from now on. You don't have to worry about being alone." Edith said.

Danielle's eyes widened when she heard this. She wrote on the notepad. 'I don't want to be a bother to you.'

"You could never be a bother, sweetie." Edith said.

'DJ thought I was' Danielle wrote in response.

"Who's DJ?" Edith asked.

Danielle wrote on the notepad again. 'A member of my old group. She was really mean.'

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I don't know why she would be mean to you." Edith said.

Danielle shrugged. She didn't know either. She finished eating and wrote down on the notepad. 'I'm done. Thank you for dinner.'

"You're welcome." Edith said.

Edith said. "You tired now, or you want some time to play before bed?" She didn't have any toys, but she figured Danielle would be fine playing with Flopsie.

Danielle wrote down on the notepad. 'I'd like to play with Flopsie before going to bed.' She gave it to Edith.

"Alright, that's fine." Edith said.

Danielle nodded. She walked over to the nearby chair and started playing with her toy.

Edith decided to let the child have her bed for the night. She wanted to make sure the girl was comfortable.

She would have to get new clothes, toys, and a bed for the girl tomorrow. She would also have to find someone to babysit her when she would have to go work at the gate. She wondered who could look after the girl. She didn't know who she would be comfortable with.

She sat down and thought of the people she knew. Several minutes went by without much luck. She noticed that the young girl had yawned a couple of times. It was probably time for her to go to bed.

"Let's get you to bed, hon." Edith said.

Danielle looked up and nodded. She got up from her chair and followed Edith to the bedroom.

Once Edith had showed the girl to the bedroom, she offered to tuck the girl into bed, but Danielle fearfully turned down the offer.

Edith apologized for startling the child and wished her good dreams. Leaving the door cracked she left the room so the child could get some sleep.

An hour passed and Danielle lay in the bed, wide awake. The girl was unable to sleep as thought cluttered her mind. Thoughts that wouldn't go away and plagued her to no end. Different emotions filled her as she thought about the events that had transpired over the last few days.

Edith had been so nice to her… In some way the woman reminded her of a mother figure.

Danielle frowned, if only her real mother were around. She missed her so much.

Tears filled her eyes and Danielle tried to blink them back, telling herself not to cry. But the more thought flooded her brain the harder it was to control her emotions. Tears fell down her cheeks and the sorrow and pain she felt when she lost her mother came rushing back. Her heart clench with agony at the thought of not being able to hug her mother or tell her she loved her.

She longed to be held by the woman one more time.

The girl cried silently, not wanting to disturb Edith, until eventually she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The next few days were rough as Danielle continued to get acclimated to her new home.

Danielle was clearly struggling to adjusted to her new "home". As time went by Edith was shocked the more, she learned about the young girl. She realized Danielle had frequent nightmares and also struggled with fear or anxiety.

Two weeks passed by slowly as Danielle spoke not at all. Though as the days passed, she became a little less frightened.

The girl had an obvious fear of men while Edith noticed during her first meeting with the child. Though she had picked up on somethings by observing the girl, the child was still a mystery to her. To lose your family, as anyone could imagine was very hard for a child. It was something that could easily scar them for life, but Edith felt there was more to Danielle's story… She was curious what the girl was hiding…

* * *

"How is she?" Christa asked as doctor Squire looked over little Aleena.

"Everything seems fine. Breathing is regular." Doctor Squire said. "No apnea last night?"

"Not at all." Christa said.

"That's good." The doctor said. "We'll have someone show you how to work the oxygen machine, so you can do the oxygen therapy."

Clementine couldn't help but glare at the oxygen tank. She couldn't believe that her poor baby needed that.

"We'll be sure to go over the precautions you need to take to make sure both the babies are okay. SIDS could happen to any child under two and it's important to take measures to prevent it." Doctor Squire spoke.

 _SIDS... Sudden infant death syndrome._ The thought made Clementine sick.

"Once we have someone show you how to use the oxygen, you guys are good to go." Doctor Squire told them.

"Go?" Clementine repeated.

The doctor nodded.

"You mean go home?" Clementine asked.

"That's right, kiddo." The Squire said. "A few days from now, we'll have someone come by your house to check in, make sure Aleena's okay."

"You said she's okay…" Clementine said.

"Yes, I did, but there are a few things we have to talk about…" Doctor Squire said.

"Bad things?" Clementine asked.

"Not necessarily…" The doctor said. "Because Aleena does have pretty severe BDP she's at a higher risk for respiratory infections, such as the flu or pneumonia. If she were to catch an infection, she would get sicker than most children do. There's also a risk that she could develop issues to her circulatory system, but it's quite uncommon. It's important to take precautions to reduce her exposure to respiratory infections." The doctor said.

Christa nodded.

"What precautions?" Clementine asked.

"Simple things, cleaning hands before holding her. And limiting her contact with anyone who is sick." The doctor explained. "Most of our concerns are for the present but we should keep in mind that in the future she may have other issues…"

"Issues like what?" Christa asked.

"Hearing problems, vision problems, issues with weight gain, or even, cerebral palsy." Doctor Squire replied. "I also mention circulatory issues, but pulmonary hypertension and Cor pulmonale are my main concerns."

"What's Cor… Cor pulmony…?" Clementine struggled with the words.

"Cor pulmonale is failure of the right side of the heart." Doctor Squire explained.

Clementine felt her heart drop.

"It's rare as well." The doctor said, noticing her expression. "For most babies most symptoms of BDP start to settle down by age two or three, and are a lot less noticeable by age five, as a child's lungs improve and mature. However, she may continue to have lung problems throughout childhood and even into adulthood, and there is concern about whether a person who had BPD as an infant can ever have normal lung function. Prematurity alone predisposes to the development of asthma. The prevalence of asthma is usually higher in children with a history of prematurity and BPD compared to those without it."

"My baby… My baby's not going to die, right?" Clementine inquired.

"She should be fine…" The doctor said, awkwardly rubbing his neck as the child mentioned the baby being hers. He looked to Christa, "May I ask a question?"

"What is it?" Christa asked.

"The other little one, has she had any problems?" Doctor Squire asked.

"She seems generally healthy." Christa said.

"Hmm… I'm just curious as to why one twin has this illness, but the other seems healthy for the most part." The doctor said.

"Aleena had her umbilical cord around her throat… I always assumed that was a factor…." Christa said. "Also...The twins may have two different possible fathers. Which would mean they were conceived at different times. I would assume Aleena was conceived second…" It Luke was her father, that was.

"Luke's their dad. He said so." Clementine piped up.

"He couldn't know that for sure…" Christa said.

"Why would he say it if he didn't know?" Clementine asked.

"I don't know, Clem. But he couldn't possibly know for sure… Carver raped you. I know you don't want to hear it, but Carver could be their dad…" Christa said.

Clementine frowned. "Can we go home now…? I don't want to talk anymore."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but can I ask your mommy a few more questions?" Doctor Squire asked.

Clementine shot the doctor a look. "I don't have a mommy… My mommy's dead."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" The doctor replied.

"My mommy probably wouldn't want me anymore, because I'm a whore…" Clementine said.

Christa looked to her as Doctor Squire's jaw dropped. "Clementine, don't say stuff like that."

"But it's true." Clementine said.

"It's not true. Stop it." Christa said. "We don't use words like that."

"Then why are you talking about the people who fucked me…?" Clementine asked.

"Clementine, I said you're not allowed to talk like that… We're talking about what happened to you because it helps us get a general sense of how early the twins were actually born…" Christa said.

"Can we just go now?" Clementine asked again.

"Just be patient, Clem. Please… Play with Promise, okay." Christa said.

"...Okay." Clementine said.

"Can you give an estimate of when you think the twins were born?" The doctor asked.

"We assumed at twenty-nine weeks or gestation." Christa said. "That was back in the summer."

"…Do you have any idea how far apart the sexual encounters with the two guys was?" Doctor Squire asked.

"I'm not exactly sure…" Christa said.

"Hmm… May I hold the other twin?" Doctor Squire said.

"Crystal." Clementine spoke up. "Her name is Crystal."

"May I hold Crystal?" The doctor corrected himself.

"She's sleepy." Clementine said.

"I promise it won't take long. I won't wake her." Doctor Squire said.

"…Okay…" Clementine gave in.

The doctor hummed as he gently held Crystal. "They're both so small... Judging that they seem so close in size and weight, I'd assume they couldn't be conceived much more than a week or so apart. If that is the case. Both superfecundation and superfetation can be rare, but it would explain why Aleena seems more susceptible to illness…" The doctor said. He slowly placed Crystal back into her crib before placing Aleena beside her.

"So what now… Are we free to go?" Christa asked.

"I think so… Aleena seems fine." Doctor Squire said. "Once someone shows you how to work the oxygen tank, you're good to go."

"We can go home, today?" Clementine asked.

"Yes. Today." Doctor Squire said.

Clementine brightened immediately.

The doctor noticed this and gave her a small smile. "Been feeling homesick, Missy?"

Clementine nodded. "More than you imagine." She couldn't wait to get out of that hospital.

"Well, your wish is coming true." The doctor chuckled. He looked over to Christa and muttered. "You got your hands full…"

"I handle things okay." Christa said.

"I can see that. Let me know if you need anything."

Christa nodded. "Thank you…"

* * *

They had just finished a silent meal. Edith was now washing the dishes why Danielle played with Flopsie. It had become the usual routine for them. Danielle seemed to prefer Flopsie over any of the toys Edith had gotten for the young girl.

"You doing okay, Dani?" Edith called to the young child as she finished up washing the dishes. Getting no response, she turned to the little girl who had her head lowered as if something were wrong. Edith frowned and slowly approached the child. "Danielle, are you okay, sweetie?"

"W-Why?" The girl's voice cracked as she spoke in such a small voice it almost went unheard.

Edith's eyes widened and she paused for a moment, unsure if she heard right. "Huh?"

"Wh-Why are you being so nice to me?"

For the first time in the two weeks that she had been there the girl had spoken. Edith clutched that sentence like a souvenir. The first words Danielle had spoken to her.

"Why wouldn't I?" Edith asked.

"I don't deserve it… Why did you help me?" Danielle asked in a small voice.

"I wouldn't just leave you out there." Edith said. "But I am curious… why were you alone? You told me your mommy was shot… How did it happen?"

Danielle frowned, shoulders shaking a bit. "I… I don't know…I mi-miss her."

"I'm sure you do…" Edith said.

"I want her back…" Danielle whimpered. "I didn't even get to say goodbye…"

Danielle broke into sobs.

Edith hugged the crying child, trying to comfort her. "I'm so sorry, sweetie… I'm so sorry…"

* * *

They had been discharged to go home with a monitor to check Aleena's breathing and heart rate, as well as an oxygen tank.

Clementine was just glad to be out of the hospital.

"Home sweet home." Christa said as she stepped into the house. "You happy to be back?"

"Super happy." Clementine said. "I hope we never have to stay at the hospital again."

"I hope so too." Christa said. "How are you doing with those crutches?"

"They make me tired… But I'm okay…" Clementine said. "I like them better than the wheelchair. It's like I'm walking all by myself... kind of…"

"You'll be able to eventually." Christa said.

"I hope it's before my girls start walking…" Clementine said.

"Keep on practicing and you'll be walking without those crutches in no time." Christa said.

"And I get my knife." Clementine said.

Christa wasn't expecting that. "What?"

"You said once I didn't need the chair anymore, I could have a knife." Clementine said.

"Why do you want a knife so much." Christa asked.

"To protect myself." Clementine said.

"We've been here for almost a month Clem. I think we're safe." Christa said.

"I'd still like to be sure. I can protect myself with a knife. And protect my girls too." Clementine replied.

"…I'll think about it." Christa responded.

"Okay…"

"For now, let's get the twins settled in. And maybe after that, I'll make you a treat." Christa said.

"What kind of treat?" Clementine asked.

"You in the mood for some hot cocoa?"

Clementine beamed and quickly nodded.

Christa smiled. It felt good to be back home.

* * *

Night had fallen, Edith had tucked Danielle into bed and was now ready to turn in herself.

"Please no!" A cry echoed through the air.

"Danielle." A small nudge drew her abruptly from her nightmare. Her eyes flew open to meet Edith's concerned gaze.

The child trembled a bit.

"It's okay..." Edith said.

"I... I'm sorry..." The girl choked out.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Edith hugged the girl feeling her tense slightly before leaning into the embrace. "You had a nightmare, sweetie. It's okay..."

"D-Don't leave me…" Danielle begged.

Edith felt her heart clench at the tearful plea. "I'm not gonna leave you. I promise."

Danielle tried to blink back tears.

"Tell me what happened. I want to help you." Edith cradled the child in her arms, rocking her a bit.

"I... They... They hurt me..." Danielle stammered.

"Who hurt you?" Edith asked.

"Bad people..." Danielle choked out.

"Bad people?"

"Bad... bad men... hurt me..." The tiny child whispered. "They took me from my mommy." She was becoming more and more hysterical with each word. Danielle gripped her shirt. "T-They h-hurt me..." She was crying too hard to say anymore. She gripped Edith's shirt with a force Edith never would have imagine the small child was capable of exerting

"Can you... tell me how they hurt you?" Edith asked.

"They... They wouldn't stop! I wanted them to stop... I cried... but they wouldn't..." Danielle cried.

Edith frowned, her heart breaking as the child wept.

"They took my cl-clothes... and... hurt me..." The child continued crying.

Edith hugged her closer feeling tears of her own. "I'm so sorry, sweetie... I'll... never let you get hurt again."

"P-Promise...?" Danielle whimpered.

"I promise." Edith said. "It's gonna be okay..."

The child's tears seemed endless.

After about an hour, the girl drifted off.

* * *

They had only been home for a day and Christa was already stressed out. The woman was in desperate need of a break.

"How are you and the little ones?" Sarita asked as she sat on the couch with AJ in her arms.

Clementine was upstairs drawing and the twins were taking a nap.

"Do you want me to be honest?" Christa asked.

"Of course." Sarita said.

"Well… The twins are okay, but Clem and I… we're not doing so great."

"What's wrong?"

"A lot. Clementine's a child. She shouldn't have so much pressure on her to raise children-even if they are hers."

"I agree…" Sarita said.

"To put it simply, I'm exhausted. I never thought I'd be doing this…" Christa mumbled.

"Doing what?" Sarita asked.

"Taking care of three kids, on my own…" Christa said.

"Kenny and I are here. Anytime you need help." Sarita replied.

"I've been needing help. I've needed help from the day I learned Clementine was pregnant. I've needed help since she had those babies. And I sure as hell need help now." Christa said. "…Aleena's sick. We all know that…"

"…Why don't you stay with Kenny and I?"

"Do you really think that's the best idea?" Christa scoffed.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Sarita asked.

"I can think of multiple reasons." Christa said. "Spacing being the main issue."

"We've worked with limited space before. And I think the house has more than enough room for all of you. The kids could share a room and-"

"And that itself would be a problem." Christa interrupted.

"Why do you think that?" Sarita asked.

"Do you really think putting Clem and Becca in the same room is the best idea. Those two fight like cats and dogs." Christa said. "Plus I'm sure the last thing two teenagers want is a little kid forced into their space."

"I don't think Sarah would mind it. Though Becca might…" Sarita said.

"Exactly…"

"Well, we can work around that issue. We'll find a different spot for Clem. We do have a spare bedroom." Sarita said.

"What about the twins?" Christa asked.

"We have the nursery…" Sarita said.

Christa bit back a sigh. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"When you had Clem and Crystal staying with you- while Aleena and I were in the hospital- how did it go?" Christa asked.

"I… I guess it went okay, for the most part. We did have some struggles at some point." Sarita said.

"Where was Crystal sleeping?"

"She was with Clem." Sarita answered.

Christa hummed, recalling what the doctor had said. "Maybe we can work something out. The doctor suggested that we have Aleena in a room with Clem until she's six months old-by her adjusted age. And even then, it might just be better to keep her in the room until she no longer needs the oxygen or is at least a year old."

"What about Crystal?" Sarita asked.

"I wouldn't want to separate the twins from each other, or from Clem. They'd be in the same room." Christa said. "Like they are now."

"That makes sense. But you don't think the crying will bother Clementine?" Sarita asked.

"That's what I need to figure out. I could just stay in the room with them, but I don't want to invade Clem's space." Christa said.

"I doubt she would feel like you're invading her space. She doesn't even like sleeping alone. Besides Clem would appreciate the help, I'm sure." Sarita said.

"Yeah…" Christa muttered. "When Omid was around… I always figured when I had a kid, everything would be a team effort. We'd be raising our child together…Feeling like a single parent is the last thing would've ever thought about. And I never exactly had it in mind to have more than one kid."

"I know it's not easy…"

"When I was pregnant, I always used to worry about how hard it would be looking after Clem and a baby at the same time. But I would tell myself, we'd figure it out. Omid and I… we'd be a happy family…" Christa sighed. "Things just didn't work out how I hoped…"

"…Kenny and I want to help…You should stay with us…"

"I'll think about it." Christa said. The last thing she wanted to do was cram Clementine in a room with Becca. The two were on good terms now, but on any given day they could be arguing and intolerable toward one another. And putting the twins in a nursery with AJ meant they would have to worry about three babies crying each other awake at night.

"You can't do this on your own. We all need to help each other." Sarita said.

"Like I said, I'll think about it." Christa said.

"Okay…"

* * *

"Bad people took me from my mommy… They… They were hurting me… They took my clothes…" Danielle muttered.

Edith felt sick.

Danielle continued speak. "They were hurting me… And I was scared. When… one of them stopped hurting me I… I killed him and ran away as fast as I could. They couldn't find me… They never found me… I went to find my mommy's camp… but… but she was dead. Someone shot her…"

"I'm so sorry, baby…" Edith said.

"Me too… I stayed there with my mommy for a long time… But she didn't come back because she was shot in the head… I didn't want to go, but I knew I would need food. So Flopsie and I went to look for some…" Danielle explained. "It wasn't long after that before Jace found me…

"Who's Jace?" Edith asked.

"He was part of my old group… He… He looked after me… He taught me how to survive…" Danielle said. "I wish he was here… DJ wasn't happy… but Jace didn't let her kick me out. He took care of me, taught me how to defend myself."

"What happened to him?"

"We… We all got split up… I don't know if he's alive…" Danielle said. "Almost everyone is dead…" Danielle said. "… Jace… and my friend, Anne…. I don't know what happened to them."

"You…. Mentioned someone named DJ before… Who was she?" Edith asked.

"She… didn't like me very much." Danielle said. "She wanted me out the group… I don't think she liked kids…which was weird, because she was pregnant…"

"I can't believe you've been through so much…" Edith frowned. "Did… anyone know about what happened to you?"

"No… I didn't want to talk about it… You're the first person I told…" Danielle said. "I… I don't know why it happened. Why does bad stuff have to happen to me? Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not, sweetie… Don't ever blame yourself for what happened." Edith said.

Danielle kept quiet, not knowing what to say."

"You know, I know someone who probably can relate to how you feel…" Edith spoke up.

"Really? Who?" Danielle asked.

"Do you remember Clementine?"

"Yeah… I do…" Danielle said.

"Well, I've heard she's out of the hospital." Edith said.

"R-Really?

Edith nodded. "Would you like to give her a visit? Maybe you two could play and get to know each other. She's been through a lot too…"

"I don't know…I don't know if she'll want to play with me." Danielle said.

"Why wouldn't she? She seemed to want to play with you last time you saw her." Edith reminded.

"Well… I wasn't super nice to her." Danielle admitted.

"I'm sure she's forgiven you for it, hon." Edith said.

"I hope so…"

"How about you just try to play with her. If you don't like it, we can head straight back home." Edith said.

Danielle thought on it for a moment, "Promise?"

"I promise." Edith said.

"Can… Can I bring Flopsie?" Danielle asked.

"If you Promise to play with Clem as well. No ignoring her."

"…I… I guess I can try to play with her…" Danielle said.

"Good. I'm sure you'll have fun."

"…We'll see…" Danielle muttered.

* * *

Christa wasn't expecting a knock at the door. She went to answer it and was surprised to see Edith and Danielle.

Edith offered the woman a smile. "Hey there. Is this a bad time?"

"Not really. Did you need something?" Christa asked. Edith noticed the woman looked quite exhausted.

"Well… I was just thinking that maybe Danielle and Clementine could have a play date. If that's okay with you." Edith said.

Christa thought for a moment before saying, "It's fine… Clem would probably like that."

"Danielle, would you like to say hello?" Edith said. She turned to the child and waited for her to speak.

"H-Hi..." The girl said.

Christa was a bit surprised. "She's… talking."

"Only since yesterday." Edith said.

"Hey there, my name's Christa. We never had a proper introduction, but it's nice to meet you, Danielle." Christa spoke in a soft voice, as not to startle the shy child.

"Y-You too." Danielle stammered, though she stayed behind Edith, clutching tightly to Flopsie.

"Sorry. She's not used to strangers." Edith said.

"I get it... Clem can be the same way sometimes... You two can make yourselves at home." Christa stepped aside allowing them to come in.

The two stepped into the living room.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?" Christa asked.

"Water please." Edith said.

Christa gave a nod. "Would you like some water too, Danielle?"

"Y-Yes... please." Danielle said.

"Alright." Christa said before heading to grab some water bottles.

The two waited for her to return.

While Christa was gone, Edith and Danielle went to the living room and sat on the couch. Danielle started to fidget with Flopsie's ears. Edith could tell the girl was nervous. She placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

It wasn't long before Christa returned with the water. "Here you are. It probably won't be too fun sitting in here with us grown-ups. I'm sure Clem would like a playmate, want to go see her, Danielle?"

Danielle quickly shook her head. She didn't feel comfortable leaving Edith's side yet.

"She just needs to get used to everything first. It takes her a while to warm up." Edith said. "I had to practical bribe her to come over."

"That's okay, maybe you two could play out here." Christa said.

"That would be a good idea..." Edith said. She nudged the child. "How about it?"

A moment passed by before Danielle nodded.

"Okay, I'll go get her." Christa said.

"Thanks Christa." Edith said.

"No problem." Christa said before heading off to get Clementine.

She went upstairs to find the child.

Christa peeked into the different rooms, before finding the young girl sitting alone coloring. "Hey, Clem. You doing okay?"

"Yeah." Clementine said as she looked up to Christa.

"Edith is here, she brought Danielle. I was thinking maybe you two could play together." Christa said.

"Really? Danielle's here?" Clementine asked before her face fell. "She… said I was annoying…"

"She didn't mean it, Clem. She wants to play with you."

Clementine thought on the idea for a moment. "What if... the twins wake up and cry?"

"I'll check up on them." Christa said.

"Okay..." Clementine said. "But I should check on them..."

"Okay." Christa said.

Clementine stood up grabbing her crutches and went to go to check on the twins. Christa decided to go with her. When they got to the nursery, they found the babies were still fast asleep.

"They're fine… So how about you play with Danielle." Christa said.

"I'm not supposed to play… I have to take care of the twins." Clementine said.

"The twins are asleep. We'll listen out for them." Christa said.

"…Okay." Clementine said.

As the two exited the nursery Christa heard Danielle's voice from the living room. "I don't know about this..." Danielle said.

"Come on, Dani. You got to make friends." Edith said.

"But... I'm... Sometimes... I shut down." Danielle said. "What if that happens now?"

"It's okay... Just try to play with her. It'll be nice to have someone to play with." Edith said.

"Okay." Danielle said.

Christa soon entered the room with Clementine. The young girl smiled as she saw Danielle. "Hi."

"…Hi." Danielle said. She still seemed rather shy.

"I didn't expect you to come here…" Clementine said. "I was just drawing with Promise… He's my friend."

"That's nice…" Danielle said.

"Umm...How old are you?" Clementine asked.

"Ten..." Danielle said. "I'll be eleven soon, I think…." It was hard to keep track of time when the main focus was survival.

Christa was surprised by this. She looked younger. She thought she was eight or nine.

"Really? I thought you were younger." Clementine said.

"Yeah... I haven't grown much since I turned eight." Danielle said. "How old are you?"

"I don't remember my birthday passing, but Christa said I turned twelve in October." Clementine said.

"I wouldn't have guessed you were twelve either…" Danielle commented.

Clementine simply shrugged. "Well, I'm a grown-up now. So that's okay."

"Grown-up?" Danielle seemed confused.

Clementine nodded. "Carver made me one."

"Clem, we're not talking about that stuff." Christa cut in.

"But it's true. He told me so." Clementine muttered.

"Who's Carver?" Danielle asked.

Clementine started to answer, but a stern look from Christa made her stop. "It… doesn't matter…"

"…Okay…" Danielle said.

"Do you want to play with me? We can color or... or play a board game if you want." Clementine said.

"I... Sure... I'd like to play a board game." Danielle said.

"Okay. I got a few of them. You can pick which one." Clementine said.

"Umm... I like Sorry." Danielle said.

Clementine nodded and went to get the game. Once she had, she placed it on the table and began to set it up. "I'd let Promise play with us, but he's with the twins right now."

"Promise is your friend, right?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah. Promise is my bear. He's like my best friend..." Clementine said.

"Oh okay. My bunny's name is Flopsie. I feel the same way about her." Danielle said.

"The bunny you were playing with when I met you? She was cute. Where is she?" Clementine asked.

"I... didn't bring her with me." Danielle said. "Edith told me to keep her at home."

"Oh... maybe you can bring her another day." Clementine said. "Her and Promise could be friends."

"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea." Danielle said.

The two girls begin playing the board game.

"I've never seen Promise before. What does he look like?"

"He's… kind of ripped up. He's missing an eye, and he's a bit dirty, but he's just like me. He's broken like me. Becca doesn't like him, but I love him." Clementine said. "Promise is guarding the twins for me, till they wake up."

"…Who are the twins?" Danielle asked after a moment.

"They're my twins. Their names are Crystal and Aleena." Clementine said.

Danielle's eyes widened and she said, "Oh..."

"They're really cute. You can meet them if you want, when they wake up." Clementine said.

"Okay. I'd like that." Danielle said.

"Okay." Clementine said. "Leena was sick for a while, but she's doing okay now… She has to have this stupid oxygen tank though. It's bigger than her."

"It helps her breathe?" Danielle asked.

Clementine nodded. "I wish she didn't need it though…"

The children continued playing the board game.

Edith was glad to see Danielle playing with another child, especially after the girl had been so closed off when she first arrived.

Danielle was starting to smile and was clearly becoming more comfortable around Clementine.

"Looks like they're getting along well." Christa said to Edith.

"I figured they would. I just knew it would be difficult to get Dani to play with Clem." Edith said.

"Well, I'm glad they're getting along. It's good for Clem to get to play every now and then." Christa said.

"Same for Dani." Edith said. "I figured… this would help her cope."

"What do you mean?" Christa asked.

"Well, being around another abused child can help Danielle get over her own trauma." Edith said.

"Hold on… She was abused… how?" Christa asked, looking worried.

"Sexually…" Edith said.

Christa frowned. "Shit… That's tough... It's hard enough for kids not to feel traumatized by everything around them. Why do people feel the need to add to that trauma?"

"I have no idea…" Edith said with a frown. "I'm just glad I'm here for her now."

"I know how you feel..." Christa said. "I've been looking after Clem for quite a while... We got separated, but I'm glad she's with me again... Even though...I wasn't the best guardian to her before..."

"It's not easy to look after a child nowadays. You got to give yourself some credit." Edith said.

"It's hard for me to not feel guilty about it, after everything... I'm just trying to do the best with her and the twins now..." Christa said.

"I understand. It can't be easy to look after a traumatized child and two babies on top of it. Truth be told, I've been struggling a bit too." Edith said.

"Kenny and Sarita do what they can, but they already got their hands full themselves..." Christa said.

"Of course. That's understandable. It's not easy looking after an infant." Edith said.

"Yeah... You're right." Christa said. "They want me to move back with them. I'm debating on it."

"I understand…" Edith said. "…So how are the twins and AJ?"

"They've been pretty good. AJ's started standing but Kenny said he hasn't taken more than a few steps yet." Christa said.

"Already? Sheesh... Before long, the twins will be the same way." Edith said.

"They're still so tiny. I don't think they're even ready to crawl yet." Christa said. "Kids grow up way too fast..."

"They certainly do." Edith said.

The sound of a cry drew the attention from the four in the room.

"Well, someone's awake..." Christa said. She got up and went to check on the babies.

"Is Christa like your mommy?" Danielle asked Clementine.

"Yeah. In some ways." Clementine said.

"And… are the... twins really yours?" Danielle asked.

Clementine nodded. Danielle was surprised to hear this.

"Where's... their dad?" Danielle asked.

Clementine frowned at the question.

Danielle noticed her expression change.

"I'm sorry..." Danielle said. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No... I just... It's hard to think about..." Clementine said. "…You can meet them now if you want, I'll even let you hold them."

A small smile formed on Danielle's face. "I'd like that." Danielle said.

"Okay, they're in the nursery." Clementine said. She started to push herself into standing position, with some struggled.

Danielle noticed this and stood herself, offering the girl her hand to help her up.

"Thanks." Clementine said, accepting the help.

Danielle gave a nod, grabbing the girl's nearby crutches. "Is it hard to use these?"

"Not really…I like them better than the wheelchair, even though they make me kind of tired." Clementine said.

"Oh." Danielle said.

"Come on." Clementine said. "The nursery's this way."

Danielle nodded and followed after Clementine.

The two girls made their way to the nursery to see Christa rocking one of the babies.

"I thought you two were playing." Christa said.

"We were, but I was letting Danielle meet the twins." Clementine said.

"Okay." Christa said. "Crystal just woke up."

"She's cute." Danielle said. "Can I hold her...?"

"Sure, sweetie. Here. I'll help you." Christa said. Danielle walked over and allowed Christa to help her.

"Make sure you support her head." Christa helped the small girl.

"Okay." Danielle said as she did her best to hold the baby.

"It would probably be easier to hold her if you were sitting down." Christa said. "But I think Crystal's ready for a bottle right now."

"I think you're right." Danielle said.

Christa took the baby back. "How about you two go play some more while I go make Crystal a bottle."

"But she didn't hold Aleena yet. And I can show her how to feed them." Clementine said.

Danielle glanced over to the crib and frowned as she noticed the nasal cannula little Aleena wore. "But… Aleena's still asleep. I don't want to wake her." Danielle said.

"Yeah, let's just let Leena sleep for now. I'll let you two give Crystal a bottle in the living room." Christa said.

"Yeah. That sounds good." Danielle said.

"Okay. Can I carry her?" Clementine asked.

"I don't think that's a great idea, Clem." Christa said. "But I'll let you hold her once you're sitting down."

"Okay..." Clementine said.

The three headed back towards the living room. Once the two girls took a seat on the couch, Christa carefully placed Crystal into the girl's arms, making sure Clementine had a secure grip on the baby.

With that, Christa headed to get a bottle.

"She's cute." Edith said.

"Thanks." Clementine smiled.

"Where's Leena?" Edith asked.

"Still asleep." Clementine said.

"How come… Aleena needs that breathing thing, but Crystal doesn't?" Danielle wondered.

"I… don't know… Christa said Aleena always had trouble breathing." Clementine said.

Eventually Christa returned with a bottle, which she handed to Clementine.

Clementine began to feed Crystal.

"Is it hard, taking care of them?" Danielle asked.

"Sometimes." Clementine said.

Danielle watched a while as Clementine fed the baby. "She looks just like you..."

"Thanks." Clementine said.

"You're welcome." Danielle said.

Eventually Crystal finished with her bottle.

"You can hold her again, if you want." Clementine said.

"Really? Thanks." Danielle said. She sat down on the couch, and with Edith's help, she held the baby in her arms.

Danielle was surprised at how calm the baby was in her arms. She liked holding her.

"You're a natural. Just like Clem." Christa said.

"Thanks." Danielle said. "She's really cute... But she's so little, I was scared I might hurt her..."

"Yeah. You have to be gentle with her." Christa said.

Danielle nodded. It was amazing holding little Crystal. But she was still surprised to learn Clementine was the twins' mother. She had never met anyone who had been through… something like her. She wondered what Clementine's story was.

* * *

The two children had quickly warmed up to each other. They spent the entire afternoon playing different games.

"Christa, can Danielle spend the night? I mean, if you want to, Dani..." Clementine said.

Danielle smiled and nodded.

"I think that would be a good idea." Edith said.

Clementine beamed.

"You know what, I don't see why not. I can look after the twins for the rest of the night. You two just have fun and be kids." Christa said.

"Okay. Thanks Christa." Clementine said.

"You're welcome." Christa said.

She knew it would be a good thing, for both of the girls.

* * *

 ** _Big t_** ** _hanks to WalkingDeadRox for helping me with Danielle's background. The characters mentioned by Danielle are OCs belonging to him and AquaDestinysEmbrace._**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Big thanks to gaara king of the sand for all the help. Also my thanks to G0nna6of4rk1d for help with ideas and** **Supernova1219 whose comment helped inspire this chapter.**_

* * *

"I'm glad you're sleeping over. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun." Clementine said as she moved her piece two spaces forward.

"Me either. I can't remember the last time I've played with anyone…" Danielle said.

The two girls were once again playing Sorry, but they were both starting to get a bit tired.

"It's late. Should we go to sleep?" Danielle suggested as she rubbed sleep out of her eyes.

"No way. The rules of a sleepover are you have to stay up all night." Clementine said.

"Staying up is the opposite of "sleeping over"." Danielle giggled.

"True, but I don't think awake over sounds as catchy." Clementine pointed out.

"Slumber party is also a thing." Danielle said.

"Slumber party?" Clementine repeated with a smile. "I like that better."

"Me too." Danielle said. "What do you want to play now?"

"Umm… I… I have to do something… for the twins." Clementine said.

"Oh. What is it? Maybe I can help." Danielle said.

Clementine shook her head. "N-No… You can't…"

Danielle seemed a bit confused, "Why not?"

"I… I have to pump…" Clementine said.

"Pump?" Danielle was even more confused by that.

"Milk for them… I try to do it most night if their bottles get low." Clementine replied.

"You fill their bottles with milk from…?"

"From here." Clementine brought her little hands to her small chest.

"O-Oh- H-How?" Danielle asked a bit awkwardly.

"With this," Clementine grabbed the breast pump from her bedside.

Danielle studied the device for a bit. "Umm…. Okay… Should I wait downstairs…?"

"If you want…" Clementine shrugged.

"Don't you want privacy?" Danielle asked.

"Haven't had it in a long time." Clementine shrugged. "You can stay… We can just talk or something… I'll be bored anyway."

"Okay…"

Danielle made sure to turn away as Clementine lifted her shirt and began pumping.

"Danielle…" Clementine suddenly called.

"Huh?"

"Thanks for being my friend… I didn't think you would want to be…" Clementine said.

"Why not?" Danielle asked.

"Because…. I… I get on people's nerves sometimes. And… And I'm naughty." Clementine said.

"I don't think you're naughty." Danielle said.

"Carver told me I was… He still tells me I am…" Clementine said.

"Who's Carver? He must be bad…" Danielle said.

"He is bad… He… hurt me…" Clementine muttered.

"How did he hurt you?" Danielle asked.

"He… He fucked me." Clementine said.

Danielle felt sick at that. She remembered hearing dirty words like that from those bandits. "That's a bad word…"

"But that's what he called it…" Clementine said.

"You don't have to say it just because he did…" Danielle said. "…People… hurt me too…"

"Wh-When?"

"A long time ago… When I was… seven." Danielle said.

"What happened to them?"

"Some... Some of them are dead…" Danielle said. "I hope they're all dead…"

"Christa and Kenny keep telling me that Carver is dead, but… but he keeps haunting me…" Clementine said.

"What do you mean?" Danielle questioned.

Clementine frowned and answered, "He's in my dreams… Sometimes, I even hear him when I'm awake…. I know it sounds crazy but-"

"It's not crazy… Sometimes I have bad memories too… I shut down and… I need to be alone with Flopsie for a while to calm down…" Danielle explained.

"I try to calm myself when I have a bad dream, but it's not easy. Everytime I see Carver, I feel like my heart's going to explode." Clementine said.

"What does… he say to you?" Danielle asked.

"…That my babies are his." Clementine said.

"…Are they?" Danielle asked.

Clementine didn't respond.

"Clem?"

Clementine still kept silent for a moment or two. "They don't need a dad… They have me… That's enough…"

"…Okay…" Danielle said, not wanting her friend to be upset. "But maybe one day… they can have a nice daddy."

"They'll never have a daddy." Clementine said.

"I didn't have a daddy… Sometimes I wish I did…." Danielle said. "Your girls might wish for one too when they're older…"

"They can wish all they want… But I'll make sure they don't need anyone else." Clementine said.

Silence fell over the two children.

"I'm done. We can play now…" Clementine said.

"Actually, I'm a little tired… I know you said we have to stay up all night, but maybe a little nap will be okay." Danielle said, turning to her friend.

"Yeah, I guess I'm a little tired too…" Clementine said. "Let me just check on the twins."

Danielle gave a nod. "Want me to go with you?"

"Sure." Clementine said.

"Okay…" Danielle said, standing up.

She opened the bedroom door for Clementine as the other girl put her crutches on.

The two children headed to the nursery to check in on the twins. Both babies were fast asleep, as they had been the last time the two check on them. Danielle had lost count of how many times they had checked on the twins in the last hour. It seemed Clementine felt the urge to peek into the nursery every ten minutes of so.

"Why don't we sleep in here?" Danielle suggested.

"Are you sure, the twins might cry." Clementine said.

"I don't mind. Babies cry, it's normal." Danielle replied.

"Yeah… I just don't want them to wake you." Clementine said.

"It's okay…" Danielle said. "If you wanna sleep in here, we can."

"I… I do want to stay in here…" Clementine said. "If that's okay with you."

"Okay."

"But I don't want you to have to lay on the ground…" Clementine quickly added.

"I'm used to it. Besides, the carpet is soft… It's nothing compared to sleeping outside…" Danielle said. "We can put blankets down to make it more comfortable."

"Okay, let's do that." Clementine said. The girl nearly fell as she attempted to make a swift turn with her crutches.

Danielle noticed this and spoke, "I'll bring the blankets. You can stay here."

"Why? I'm okay…" Clementine said.

"I'm sure… I just, don't… want you getting hurt…" Danielle said. "I'll be quick. I promise…"

"…Okay…"

Danielle left the room to grab some blankets and pillows. Once the girl returned the two laid the blankets out on the ground.

"Are you sure you don't mind sleeping in here?" Clementine asked.

"I don't mind." Danielle said. "Let's try to get some rest…"

Clementine nodded and the two laid down to get some sleep. It didn't take long for the girls to doze off.

* * *

A sudden scream filled the bedroom, the noise quickly waking the twins and causing Clementine to shoot upright, nervous and alert.

Resisting the urge to cover her ears from the twins' cries, Clementine quickly turned to Danielle who was whimpering and shaking a bit. Clementine did her best to calm her friend down. She could see Danielle was really shaken up by what she assumed had been a nightmare.

The door quickly opened, and a concerned Christa stepped inside.

"I heard a scream, is everything alright?" Christa asked looking concerned.

The twins were still wailing. Christa went over to comfort them.

"Dani had a bad dream..." Clementine said, looking worried for her friend.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Danielle. Did you need something, sweetie...?" Christa asked.

Danielle gave a small shake of the head. She was still shaken up. "I... I'm sorry for waking the twins.

"It's okay." Clementine said. "I can put them back to sleep."

"I think they're okay." Christa said as she gave the two their pacifiers causing them to fall quiet.

"Okay." Clementine said.

"You girls try to get some rest." Christa said. "Call me if you need me."

The girls nodded and Christa made her way out the room.

"Are you okay, Dani?" Clementine asked.

"I think so… I'm sorry for waking you up and for making the twins cry." Danielle said.

"Don't be… You couldn't help it if you had a bad dream… I know how scary those can be." Clementine said.

"Let's… go back to sleep." Danielle said.

"Alright…" Clementine said. "Goodnight."

"Night…"

Danielle tried to fall back to sleep, though she was scared her nightmare would return. Eventually, however she did manage to drift off.

* * *

When morning came Clementine woke first. She decided to let Danielle sleep for a while longer. Apart from Danielle's bad dream, the two girls had fun together and they were both tired. The two were in no rush to get up.

The young girl checked in on the twins who were still asleep. She knew they would be hungry when they were awake, she checked their bottles. The twins as usual woke up to feed in the middle of the night, meaning Clementine would have to refill their bottles. It had become easier to feed Aleena with a bottle considering it didn't bother her nasal cannula.

"Knock-knock."

Clementine flinched as the door suddenly opened and looked to see Becca.

Becca noticed the girl holding the breast pump and raised a brow. "Am I interrupting something."

"I was just going to make sure the twins had enough to eat…" Clementine said.

"While your friend's in the room?" Becca motioned to Danielle.

"She… She's sleeping…" Clementine said.

"And she could wake up. How do you think she'd react to seeing you with your shirt off?"

"…Dani wouldn't mind… She knows I'm doing this to feed my babies." Clementine said.

"Dani wouldn't mind, or YOU don't mind?" Becca replied. "Maybe you are a lesbian."

"Lesbian?" Clementine echoed.

"Forget it. I'm just messing with you." Becca said. "I know you like that kid, uh… what's his name, Gill?"

"I do like Gill… But only as a friend."

"Yeah right." Becca said. "You're telling me you don't have crush on him. You're always so happy to see him."

"Why wouldn't I be? He's my friend." The child paused. "But… he hasn't really talked to me lately…"

"Why not?"

"I… I guess I made him mad… because of what happened in the park."

"Oh… Well, forget him. What you did was badass!"

Clementine shrugged in response. "…Where's Sarah?"

"Downstairs. She's been reading these medical books Sarita gave her all day. She says she wants to be a doctor."

"That's a good thing." Clementine said.

"You think? She's so squeamish I don't see that happening, but enough about Sarah. Tell me about your crush." Becca said.

"I… do like someone, but I can't say who…" Clementine said, looking away.

"Oh, come on." Becca urged.

Clementine shook her head.

"Fine…" Becca said. "…Chicken."

Clementine didn't respond.

"Anyway, I wasn't expecting you to feel comfortable whipping your chest out around other people. Even though, you're still flat as a board." Becca suddenly said.

"I have to pump for my kids. Christa said it's nothing to feel uncomfortable about. Nursing is a natural thing." Clementine said.

"So you're not embarrassed at all?" Becca asked.

"Why would I be?"

"Well, most women aren't exactly happy with their bodies after a pregnancy." Becca said.

Clementine furrowed her brows and asked, "Why not?"

"Think about it, the stretch marks, the weight changes. That stuff happens when you have a baby. And you had two… Just saying."

Clementine let what she was saying sink in. She had noticed that her body was a lot different from how she remembered it being, and there had been days where she felt uncomfortable in her own skin. Her stomach wasn't as flat as it had been, and she did have those stretch marks as Becca had mentioned.

The child found herself suddenly feeling self-conscious. Biting at her lower lip, Clementine adjusted her shirt.

* * *

When Danielle awoke, she was surprised to find Clementine was no longer in the room. She quickly noticed the twins were still asleep.

It wasn't long before the door opened, and Clementine made her way into the room with her crutches. "Oh, you're awake."

"Yeah… Where were you?" Danielle wondered.

"…In the bathroom." Clementine answered.

"Oh." Danielle stretched a bit before sitting up. "Are you okay?"

Clementine forced a smile, "Yeah. I'm good. Um… Christa made some breakfast."

"Breakfast?"

Clementine nodded. "It's oatmeal."

"Okay. Aren't you hungry too?" Danielle asked.

"N-No…" Clementine stammered. "I… I'll just stay with the twins."

Danielle frowned for a moment. "Can you at least come with me?"

"…Sure…" Clementine said.

The two girls went to the dining area. Danielle made sure to keep a slow pace, so her friend didn't have to struggle with her crutches.

Becca and Sarah were both seated at the table. Becca was eating, while Sarah was looking through a book, her bowl in front of her and empty.

"Good morning, girls." Sarita greeted them, while holding a giggling AJ in her arms.

"Morning." Clementine greeted, Danielle giving a small wave.

"How'd you two sleep?" Sarita asked.

"Okay." Clementine said with a smile. "Can… Can I hold AJ?"

"Of course-"

"How about you do that after breakfast." Christa said.

"…I'm not hungry." Clementine said with a frown.

"Not even a little bit?" Christa asked.

"No. Not at all." Clementine said.

Christa didn't buy it, but said, "Okay… What about you, Dani, you hungry?"

Danielle gave a nod. Danielle was comfortable around Clementine, but other people were another story. She couldn't help but feel a bit skittish with others around.

Danielle took a seat a bit awkwardly. She was comfortable around Clementine, but she didn't know what to think about her group members yet.

It helped that Clementine was sitting next to her.

"Well, hopefully you don't mind oatmeal." Christa said, placing a bowl in front of the girl.

"T-Thank you." Danielle muttered as she started eating.

"Can I hold AJ now?" Clementine asked.

"Sure you can, Clementine." Sarita handed the toddler over to the young girl who smiled.

"Hey, Goofball, I missed you." Clementine said as she hugged the small boy.

"I think he missed you too." Sarita said.

Clementine smiled and continued playing with little AJ, trying to distract herself from the hunger she felt as she avoided watching the others eat.

* * *

The child frowned as she looked in the mirror. She didn't know how many times she had looked at herself in the mirror that day. She took in her body's shape which just seemed wrong to her. She felt a feeling of disgust as she looked at her appearance.

Clementine didn't know how long she had been in the candle lit bathroom, but she jumped when she heard a knock at the door. "W-Who is it?"

"It's me." Danielle's voice was heard.

Clementine sighed and carefully went over to open the door.

"Are you okay?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah…. Why wouldn't I be?" Clementine asked.

"I don't know…You've just… been distant today." Danielle said.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to be." Clementine mumbled.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're not feeling sick or anything?" Danielle asked.

"Nope. I'm fine…" Clementine claimed.

"Did somebody do something to upset you?" Danielle asked.

Clementine thought on those words then shook her head. "No, Dani…."

"Did… Did I do something to upset you." Danielle asked a bit nervously.

"No… Danielle, I'm fine. Really." Clementine said.

"Okay… I just wanted to make sure…" Danielle said.

"Thanks for checking on me."

"Of course. We're friends." Danielle smiled.

"Yeah. We are." Clementine gave a small smile. "Come on, let's play a board game."

"Okay."

* * *

Clementine flinched as she felt a hand come to rest against her forehead.

Christa hummed and retracted her hand. The girl was warm but not too hot. "You're a little warm. Is your stomach bothering you?"

"No... Not really."

"Do you want to tell me why you've been refusing to eat all day." Christa asked.

"I'm just not hungry." Clementine deadpanned.

"You're breastfeeding, you can't skip meals." Christa said. "Skipping breakfast was one thing. You're not about to skip dinner too."

"Why not?"

"It's not good for you or the babies." Christa said.

"The babies are the reason I'm like this." Clementine grumbled.

"Like what?" Christa asked.

No response.

"Clementine, what are you talking about?"

Clementine still refused to answer.

Christa sighed, shaking her head. "You have to eat, it's not an option."

"I'm not hungry…" Clementine complained.

"Clem, eat, or I'll feed you." Christa ordered in a stern voice.

The young girl pouted and slowed brought a spoonful of food to her mouth. She ate nearly half her food before pushing her bowl away. "Done…"

"Thank you." Christa said. "Now take your medicine."

"I don't want it." Clementine protested.

"It's not an option. You already know this, Clem." Christa said.

Clementine frowned. "Why can't I make my own choices?"

"Because you're a child. You're need guidance and an adult's judgement." Christa said.

"I want to go see my girls." Clementine tried to change the subject.

"Take your medicine and you can." Christa replied.

The child gave no further protest.

"We're going to be staying with Kenny and Sarita starting tomorrow." Christa announced.

"Why?" Clementine asked. "I like it here."

"Because… Because I need their help…"

"With what?"

"With looking after you and the twins." Christa responded.

"You don't have to look after me. I'll look after myself and my daughters." Clementine said.

"Clem-"

Clementine interrupted her, "Can you give me my medicine now. I want to go see my girls."

"Okay, Clem. Okay."

* * *

She had waited until the moment she was sure her guardian was asleep before heading to the restroom and forcing herself to retch.

She always hated throwing up, which was ironic considering she was now forcing herself to. She kept flashing back to how sick the girls would make her during her pregnancy… specifically if she tried to eat apples.

It was hard for her to not feel bitter about what the pregnancy had done to her. To her body, to her mind…

The young girl couldn't help but recalled one day when her mother had baked cookies and offered some to Sandra when her babysitter had come over. Sandra, however refused the treat, saying she was on a diet.

" _What's a diet?" A confused Clementine had asked._

 _"It's a limit on what kinds of things you eat and how much." Sandra explained._

 _"Oh...Why?" Clementine asked._

 _"Because... I'm just watching my figure." Was Sandra's replied, which only confused the child more._

 _"You have a perfect figure, Sandra." Diana said kindly._

 _"Thanks, Miss Diana. I'm just trying to get beach ready." Sandra said._

 _"So you can't eat cookies? That's no fun..." Clementine pouted._

 _"Well I'm trying not to eat much... Plus this is a no sugar diet." Sandra said._

 _"Oh... So you don't get a tummyache?" Clementine innocently asked._

 _"That and so I don't get fat." Sandra said._

 _Clementine raised a brow. Sandra was far from fat._

 _"Are you sure you don't want one? I helped mommy bake them..." Clementine said._

 _"...Well... I guess one won't hurt." Sandra said._

 _Clementine beamed at that._

 _Sandra took one of the cookies and took a bite. "It's delicious, Clem."_

" _Thanks, Sandra."_

The child could help but wonder what Sandra would think if she saw her now. Would she think Clementine needed a diet? Sandra had by no mean been fat, Clementine didn't understand why her former babysitter wanted to diet. But if Sandra had considered herself overweight, Clementine was sure she herself was definitely fat…

* * *

 _Clementine felt horrified the moment she realized she was in a familiar room, in a bed that was not her own. She could feel her heart pounding with terror._

 _She could feel rough hands on her body, stripping her from her clothes. She wanted to call for help, but a hand covered her mouth. She knew it would be no use anyway._

 _She hated him. She knew it didn't matter how much she fought he would always get what he wanted…_

" _Open your eyes, honey." A voice whispered in her ear._

 _Clementine hadn't even noticed she closed them, she let her eyes flutter open, but immediately wanted to shut them again as she was met with a mirror._

 _She was forced to take in her body figure and the child felt sick as she saw herself with a pregnant belly. Carver rubbed his hands over her stomach._

" _W-Why did you do this to me?" Clementine stammered._

" _I didn't do this to you, honey. You did this to yourself." Carver coldly replied._

" _Wh-What?"_

" _You wanted this." Carver said._

 _Clementine shook her head, trying to block his voice out. "N-No..."_

 _"You let me do this to you!"_

 _"No! I didn't!" Clementine snapped._

 _"Oh, you did. You just don't_ _ **want**_ _to remember, honey." Carver said._

 _Clementine frowned, keeping quiet._

 _"Look at yourself."_

 _Clementine tried to avert her gaze, but Carver turned her head towards the mirror._

 _Clementine could see herself, her belly swollen as it had been when she was pregnant. "You did this to me."_

" _No…. You let this happen. You wanted this… like the dirty little whore you are."_

 _"N-No…"_

 _"Yes. Honey."_

 _"We made those babies together." Carver said. "Our babies. Our love…"_

 _"No! Stop it!" Clementine exclaimed. "I hate you! I HATE YOU!"_

 _"You don't hate me, honey. I'm the only one who wants you. No one else would ever want you." He laughed._

 _She hated how he taunted her. Whenever she hadn't done what he asked, whenever she was naughty, he would physically and verbally abuse her. He was so cruel; he completely crushed every ounce of self-esteem she had, and he clearly didn't give a damn._

 _Dead or alive, she hated him so much…_

" _No one will ever want you…"_

 _Wrapped in blistering fear and anxiety. Clementine's head sank toward her shoulders. Shame froze her and she could feel herself shaking._

 _His words tortured her. All the harmful statements crumbled on top of her._

 _"S-Stop... Stop it!" Clementine whimpered._

 _"Disgusting..." Carver said. "You're a fat, disgusting little whore. No one could ever want you."_

" _SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" The small girl yelled._

 _Carver's stabbing voice echoed "You're nothing without me. No one will ever want you."_

Clementine's eyes snapped open and she found herself trembling wildly from her nightmare.

Clementine shook her head, forcing her painful recollections to disappear back into murkiness. The gruesome images loosened their grip, but she remained guarded and tense.

She recalled hearing those words numerous times, they echoed harshly in her head. Clementine brought her hands to her ears in an attempt to suppress the noise.

Clementine felt trapped in her own thinking. She tried many times to control her thoughts but to no avail. Her mind was pushing her into a deep state of self-doubt and judgement.

No one could understand how she felt.

Clementine fought recklessly to cling to reality. She didn't want to be lost in her past. She wanted to stay conscious.

She generated a mental search for why that man had hurt her but answers never came.

* * *

Over the next two days they transitioned to the other house. Clementine wasn't too thrilled, but she didn't protest. She was glad that she at least got to share a room with her twins. She couldn't handle being apart from them for too long.

Edith continued to bring Danielle over to play. Clementine and Danielle had quickly become friends, and frequent sleepovers had become a regular thing for the two girls.

Danielle spending time with Clementine also gave Edith chance to return to her work shift. Christa didn't mind looking after Danielle while Edith went to keep watch, but she did realize that another child was more responsibly on her plate, even if she was only watching Danielle for a couple hours throughout the days, which made her grateful to have help from Kenny and Sarita.

Danielle had quickly grown to love the twins. She had been a bit hesitant when it came to holding them at first, especially Aleena, because of how fragile they were but now she couldn't get enough of them.

Now she couldn't get enough of them.

"Maybe… you can be their auntie…" Clementine said.

"Hmm?"

"The twins. They love you already." Clementine smiled as little Crystal cooed in Danielle's arms. Aleena was asleep in Clementine's arms.

"How do you know? They can't talk." Danielle said.

"I'm their mommy. I have to know." Clementine said.

"Oh… I'm still surprised… that you're a mommy already…"

"Me too…"

"Well… I already love them too." "…I'll be their auntie if it's okay with you."

Clementine smiled. "Thanks. I think you'll make a good auntie."

"I'll do my best." Danielle replied. "…Clem…"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Clementine said.

"Do… Do you like being a mom?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah. I do. I used to play mommy with my dolls all the time when I was a little kid." Clementine said.

Danielle couldn't understand how Clementine was so calm about the situation. Being a mom and still a kid seemed so scary. "But… this isn't like playing pretend… They're real…"

"I know." Clementine said.

"I'm just… surprised… You're still a little kid…" Danielle said. "It must be scary…"

Clementine shrugged. "I'm not a little kid…"

"You said you just turned twelve." Danielle said.

"In October." Clementine said. "Yeah… I don't remember, much since I was eight, but Christa said I'm twelve now."

"…How does she keep track of the days?" Danielle asked.

"Christa said it's important to keep an idea of what month it is, she I can tell if my girls are growing right." Clementine said. "When's your birthday, Dani?"

"I…It might have passed already. Which would mean I'm eleven now… It's hard to keep track when you're always on the move…" Danielle said. "It's a few weeks before Christmas though, I always used to hope it would snow for my birthday."

"We should celebrate!" Clementine beamed.

"Huh?"

"We could have a party." Clementine said.

"I... I'd rather not. My mom and I would always just celebrate small. She worked at a grocery store. She would bring home cupcakes and we would eat it together after dinner..." Danielle smiled a bit at the memory.

"That's really sweet."

"Yeah... It was…" Danielle agreed. "Clem…"

"Hmm?"

"You're not… scared that you're a mom?" Danielle asked.

"Scared? Scared of what?" Clementine asked back.

"Of… the responsibility…" Danielle said.

"I'm always scared…" Clementine admitted after a moment. "Not of the responsibility… And not because I don't really know how to be a mommy… I'm scared that I won't be a good mommy…"

"I think you're a good mommy to them…" Danielle said. "I can't imagine how hard it must be."

"If Christa hadn't been around helping me, I don't know what I would have done…" Clementine said.

"I'm glad she's been around for you." Danielle said.

"Me too." Clementine said.

"I'll help you too… I'd like to be their auntie." Danielle said.

"Really?" Clementine smiled.

"Really." Danielle said.

"Thank you." Clementine said.

A brief silence fell over the two girls.

"Can I ask you a question now?" Clementine spoke after a moment.

"Sure." Danielle said.

"Do… you think I'm fat?" Clementine said.

Danielle was surprised by that. "Wh-What?"

"Do you think I'm fat?" Clementine repeated.

"Of course not." Danielle said. "Why do ask?"

"I…just feel like I am…" Clementine said.

"Don't be silly. You're not fat." Danielle responded.

"I feel like I am…" Clementine said with a frown.

"That's just crazy talking. You're far from fat." Danielle said.

"Maybe I am crazy…" Clementine muttered.

"If you're crazy, so am I." Danielle said. "So I guess we'll be crazy together."

Clementine gave a small chuckle. "Fine with me."

* * *

The two girls had spent the day coloring and playing boardgames and tending to the twins as needed.

They were drawn into a game of "Go Fish", when a knock came at the door.

"Come in." Clementine said.

Sarah stepped into the room with smile. "Hi, Clem. Hi, Danielle."

Danielle gave the older girl a small wave.

"Hey, Sarah." Clementine greeted.

"What are you two up to?" Sarah asked.

"Just playing cards." Clementine said.

"Can I play?" Sarah asked.

"Sure." Clementine said.

"Thanks. I'm happy you're here, Clem." Sarah smiled.

Clementine seemed a bit surprised, "You are?"

Sarah nodded, "Yeah. Aren't you happy too?"

"…I don't know…" Clementine admitted. "I liked the other house."

"Oh… Well I'm glad we're all together again… I just wish… everyone was here. Like the other town." Sarah said.

"Everyone's probably dead." Clementine emotionless spoke.

Sarah's eyes widened. "Why would you say that?"

Danielle seemed shocked by her friend's cold tone too.

"Becca said so." Clementine said.

"She…She doesn't know that… Maybe they went back to the cabin… If anyone was hurt my dad probably helped them." Sarah said.

"Your dad's dead, Sarah… Just like my parents…" Clementine said.

"He…He is not!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Then why isn't he with you?" Clementine questioned.

"Because… we just got separated." Sarah claimed.

"Fine… whatever you say." Clementine said. "I think… I'm gonna draw for a while."

"What are you going to draw?" Danielle asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Myself…" Clementine said. "Myself being punished. For being naughty."

"…How are you naughty?" Danielle asked.

Clementine didn't reply. Sarah and Danielle frowned and exchanged looks.

"I don't think you're naughty, Clem." Danielle said.

"Me either." Sarah said.

Clementine still kept quiet. The other girls decided to drop the subject as they continued playing cards.

A while passed before another knock came at the door.

"Come in…" Clementine said.

Becca stepped into the room, and Clementine paused what she was doing. "Hey," The older girl greeted.

"Did you wanna play cards too?" Sarah asked.

"I'll pass. I'm not trying to play with little kids." Becca motioned to Clementine and Danielle. "Edith is here, and Christa wanted me to let you guys know it's dinner time."

Clementine cringed a bit at the thought of food. "I'm not hungry." She immediately said.

"You're never hungry…" Danielle said. "Why is that?"

Clementine simply shrugged in response.

"Well, can you at least sit with me?" Danielle asked.

As much as she didn't want to, she didn't want her friend feeling uncomfortable either.

"…Sure…" Clementine said.

* * *

Chatter filled the room, the smell of canned stew was strong in the air, but all Clementine could think about was not eating. She wanted to get away from the smell. She wanted to get away from food in general.

How could anyone expect her to eat when she looked like she did.

The child was yanked from her thoughts as Christa placed a chipped bowl in front of her. The small girl sent her guardian a look before saying, "I'm not hungry."

Christa ignored her as she placed a spoon down in front of her.

"I said, I'm not hungry." Clementine huffed.

"I know what you said. But I've told you before, it's not just about you, think about the twins." Christa said.

"I always think about the twins, Christa." Clementine said.

"You need to take care of your health so you can look after the twins." Christa said.

"I know. I'm just not hungry right now…" Clementine argued.

"You have to eat something. A least a little bit." Christa said.

"Christa, you can't just force her to eat if she's not hungry." Kenny cut in.

"She needs to eat. She's nursing two babies." Christa said. "Clem, please eat."

Clementine frowned, "I don't want to…"

"Well, you have to. You're not leaving this table until you clear half that bowl." Christa said.

The girl kept her frown as she glared at the bowl. She only wished they understood how anxious it made her to eat. She dreaded sitting down to meals."

"Did you girls have fun today?" Sarita asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah." Sarah said. "It was nice playing cards."

Danielle nodded. She still felt nervous around the group, but she was getting used to them.

"I'm glad. It's good to see you playing, Clem." Sarita said.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to play though... Since... I feel like a grown-up now..." Clementine said.

"You're not exactly a grown-up, Clem." Christa said.

"Well... I feel grown-up..." Clementine said. "Plus... "he"... he said he made me a woman..."

Danielle cringed at that. It wasn't the same wording that the bandit used, but it was close enough.

"Well you're not a woman. You're a child." Christa said. "He lied to you."

"Okay..." Clementine said.

Danielle shifted in her seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Edith noticed this and decided to try to change the subject. "How are you all settling in here?"

"We're doing okay... considering..." Kenny said.

"We were... staying at a town before we came here... But we were attacked. Most of the group got split up... I just hope the others are okay..." Sarita said.

"I'm sure they are." Edith said.

"I doubt it..." Becca huffed.

"They have to be alive." Sarah said.

"What makes you say that?" Becca asked. "If they were alive, why haven't they found this place yet?"

"They don't know where we're at. They're probably looking for us." Sarah said.

"I guess we'll see..." Becca said. "But you shouldn't get your hopes up."

"I hope they find us..." Clementine spoke up. "I hope Luke does at least..."

"It's best to be optimistic." Edith said.

"Yeah... You're right." Sarita said.

"I'm surprised you're playing too. I remember when you first got here, you didn't want to talk to anyone." Kenny said to Danielle.

"Really?" Sarita said. "Are you shy, sweetie?"

"That's one way to put it." Edith said. "She didn't say a word for two weeks when I first started looking after her."

Danielle felt a bit awkward and even more so when Kenny asked, "Why's that?"

"Well... she lost her family and a group of people who looked after her... It only makes sense that she was very withdrawn by the time she came here." Edith said. She left out the real reason why Danielle was so withdrawn.

"We all lost people." Becca said. "I lost my sister, thanks to... nevermind..."

"It's a bad world out there... Only thing we can do is hope it gets better." Edith said.

"It was my fault..." Clementine suddenly said. "What happened to her sister..."

"It wasn't your fault, sweetie... You passed out. You couldn't help that." Sarita said.

"She's right. Blaming yourself isn't going to help anything." Edith said.

"But it was my fault." Clementine said. "She got bit thanks to me..."

"It's not your fault. And if you had gotten bit, you would be dead and so would your girls." Christa said. "So be thankful that didn't happen..."

"She does have a point." Edith said.

"I am thankful... But I feel bad too." Clementine said.

"I know." Christa said.

"We should try to focus on more positive things… Which is why I was thinking, why don't we have a picnic." Sarita said.

"A picnic? Are you serious?" Becca scoffed. "I'm too old for that crap."

"You're never too old to have a picnic." Sarita said.

"But it's not warm enough outside for a picnic." Christa said. "I wouldn't want the kids getting sick."

"Perhaps not yet, but it would be nice once the weather warms up." Edith said.

"That would be fun." Sarah said.

"More like a waste of time." Becca said."

"It's never a bad idea to take time to relax. We have to take moment to enjoy life and the people we love." Sarita said.

"You get too comfortable and that's when bad shit always happens." Becca replied.

"Not always. You can't be so negative all the time." Sarita said.

"Realistic. I'm being realistic. Just cause everyone around me lives in fantasyland doesn't mean I have to." Becca said.

"I'm done. Can I be excused now?" Clementine suddenly asked.

Christa looked to see the girl had finished half her food as she had told her. "Where are you going?"

"To check on the twins." Clementine answered.

"You just checked on them not long ago." Danielle pointed out.

"I uh, I think I hear them crying." Clementine said.

"I don't hear them." Sarah said.

"I'm going to check on them anyway." Clementine stood carefully. "I'm just trying to be a good mommy."

The girl grabbed her crutches and headed off without another word.

"Is… she okay?" Edith asked.

"I don't know…" Christa sighed. "She's been off lately."

"Off how?" Kenny asked.

"Just different…" Christa said.

"I wasn't trying to upset her." Becca sighed. "When I mentioned Shel…"

Sarita started to speak, "I don't think you did-"

"You did." Christa cut Sarita off. "But something else is bothering her."

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. I've tried talking to her, but she's been very standoffish. I'll have to try again." Christa said.

"Maybe if you stopped being so pushy with her, she would talk more." Kenny grumbled.

"I have to be pushy with her. You know how stubborn she can be." Christa said.

"She's as stubborn as a damn mule, but that doesn't mean that you constantly have to badger her." Kenny said.

"You don't know how hard it is taking care of three children!" Christa suddenly snapped. "Don't tell me how to raise her!"

"You weren't letting us help!" Kenny snapped back.

"Oh? So you wanna help now? You could have helped a long time ago! You should have help her before she was raped!" Christa hissed.

Danielle flinched at the word.

"Enough, both of you! There are children present!" Sarita called trying to calm the argument.

"No wonder why Lee asked Omid and I to look after her." Christa said under her breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kenny inquired.

"Exactly what it sounds like." Christa replied.

"The only reason Lee asked you is because he thought I was dead. He knew damn well I would protect that girl with my life." Kenny said.

"You didn't protect her very well!" Christa snapped.

"Neither did you. Are you forgetting who's care she was in when she got kidnapped by that Troy asshole?" Kenny shot back.

"If not for that meeting, she wouldn't have ever wandered off. Everyone was supposed to be helping look after her. But I was doing it all on my own!" Christa said.

"Both of you please stop, please!" Sarita pleaded.

As the argument continued the other decided to clear the room. AJ was crying at this point from the yelling.

"I'm full. Time to turn in…" Becca stood, sick of listening to the two adults argue.

"I'm done too." Sarah said.

"Sarah, Becca, can you two take AJ to the nursery?" Sarita asked.

The teens nodded. Sarah picked AJ up and they left the room.

Edith sighed. "I think it's time for us to head home too…" Edith paused as she noticed Danielle was up and heading to the door. "Danielle?"

"I… I want to go check on Clem first." Danielle said.

The little girl ran off to do so. Edith sighed once more before attempting to help Sarita calm Christa's and Kenny's argument.

* * *

Danielle checked Clementine's room first, finding the twins were asleep in their bassinet. However, Clementine was nowhere to be found. A bit confused, Danielle exited the room and started to walk back to Edith, however she paused as she passed a door, hearing someone violently vomiting in the bathroom.

Concerned, Danielle gave a knock on the door. "Clem? Are you okay in there?"

A couple moments passed before the door opened.

"Are you okay?" Danielle asked her friend.

"I'm fine…. Was just feeling a little sick." Clementine said.

"Oh… Are you feeling any better now?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Clementine said. "I… heard yelling… Are they fighting because of me?"

"It's not because of you, Clem." Danielle tried to reassure her friend.

"It's always because of me." Clementine said.

Danielle remained quiet, unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry." Clementine said.

"For what?" Danielle asked."

"I'm sorry you had to hear that." Clementine said.

"It's not your fault." Danielle said.

Clementine didn't answer, she felt it was.

"I should go… Edith's probably waiting for me."

"Are you coming back tomorrow?" Clementine asked.

"Of course."

"Okay… I'll see you tomorrow, Dani." Clementine said.

"See you, Clem. I hope you feel better."

Clementine nodded, "Thanks."

Danielle headed back to Edith. Fortunately, the arguing had died down, but Danielle didn't care much. She was too worried about her friend.

* * *

Clementine was tossing and turning in her bed. Once again being tormented in her dreams by Carver.

 _The evil man had her twins, keeping them away from her. She searched around the hardware store for the babies, hearing their little cries grow longer and longer. They needed their mother._

 _She couldn't find them. She couldn't find them no matter how much she searched._

 _Panic struck her hard. "GIRLS!"_

Clementine flinched awake. Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, then slammed against her chest in rapid, painful beats, temporarily driving away the memory of what had awakened her. She could feel that her pillow was wet, tear-soaked. Now fully awake, she could hear one of the twins crying.

Sighing in relief she forced her shaking body up and made her way to the bassinet which fortunately was close to her bedside.

Reaching blindly through the dark room, Clementine flinched on a small lantern which provided a bit of light.

"Shh..." Clementine hushed as she gently picked Crystal up, rocking the baby. "You'll wake your sister..."

Crystal's cries slowly started to die down a bit as Clementine rocked her.

"It's okay, mama's here..." Clementine continued to rock the baby for a moment, though the infant still whimpered. Clementine check her daughter's diaper. "Your pamper's not wet... Did you have a bad dream too? Or... maybe you're just hungry..."

She figured that could be it as she noticed the baby gnawing on her tiny hand. Clementine knew that meant Aleena probably would be waking up hungry soon as well.

Clementine wondered if it had already been almost four hours since the twins' last feeding. Had she really slept that long; she surely didn't feel like it.

When Crystal started whimpering again, Clementine decided that she should nurse the baby. As she fed the infant, she gently spoke to her. "Look, at you... You're perfect. You don't have to cry... I should be the one crying... Mommy won't let anything hurt you. Mommy will protect you forever…"

Clementine continued feeding the child and softly began humming the tune of rock-a-bye baby, until her daughter finally drifted back to sleep.

* * *

"I'm going on a diet." Clementine announced shocking the adults in her group.

"What?" Christa asked.

"I'm going on a diet." Clementine repeated.

"Why is that?" Christa asked.

"I discussed it with Promise last night. We both feel like it's a good idea." Clementine replied.

"Can you tell me why you both feel like it's a good idea?" Christa asked.

"Because, I need to lose some weight." Clementine said.

"Who told you that, sweetie?" Sarita asked.

"I just want to. It's perfectly normal for a woman to not like the way she looks after a pregnancy. I want to lose some weight." Clementine said.

"You don't need to lose weight. You're not fat." Christa said.

"I am too!" Clementine said. "From now on…. I'll only eat one meal a day."

"You don't need to diet." Christa said.

"Yes I do. I have to lose all the weight Crystal and Aleena gave me." Clementine argued.

"You've already been losing that weight." Christa said.

"You're not fat, sweetie. You're a perfect size. You don't need to diet. What's important is that you eat healthy." Sarita said.

"I don't want to eat at all." Clementine said.

"It's not negotiable you have to eat." Christa said.

"If I eat, I won't lose weight." Clementine argued. "I need to lose weight."

"No you don't." Christa sighed.

"I do. I do." Clementine chanted.

"Clementine, stop. Look at me. You are not fat." Christa emphasized each syllable.

"I am! I... I need to lose at least thirty pounds." Clementine said. "Or more."

"Clementine, come here..." Christa reached the child and hugged her. "You're not fat... Did someone call you fat?"

"...No... I just know I am." Clementine answered.

"If you wanna try dieting, go ahead." Kenny suddenly said, drawing the attention to him.

Christa shot him a glare. "Kenny-"

"I think you're gorgeous just the way you are, darlin', but I ain't gonna stop you." Kenny said.

"She doesn't need a diet. We already limit our food intake as it is." Chista said.

"If she wants to diet, let her." Kenny said. "Just gonna tell you though, diets are torture."

"Torture?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah. No point in torturing yourself, Clem." Kenny said.

Clementine took those words in, not sure what to think of them. She wanted to diet regardless… She would just have to see how it went.

* * *

Clementine did her best to maintain her "diet". Kenny and Sarita didn't think too much of the situation. The girl would eat at meals, though she usually didn't eat much. Kenny wasn't concerned he figured the girl wouldn't stick to the diet anyway. Little kids her age always spoke up nonsense.

Christa however was concerned and did her best to make sure the girl ate at least a little bit everyday. Clementine would only take a few dejected bites of whatever was put in front of her and then asked to go see her daughters.

Christa wasn't having that today. "Clementine, eat."

Clementine hadn't touched any of her food during their meal. She didn't seem interested. Her temperature was high. She was losing weight.

The group had been chattering nonstop while little Clementine only picked at her food. Sarah resisted the urge to ask her friend why she wasn't eating. She needed food to give her strength.

Clementine, eat something." Christa said.

"I'm not hungry..." Clementine muttered.

"You've been saying that everyday. You'll sit here until you eat." Christa said, putting her foot down.

"I'm not hungry right now. I'll eat later." Clementine said.

"Clem..." Christa shook her head with doubt. "Please, eat something."

"If… If I eat… will you help me with something?" Clementine asked after a moment.

"Sure. But I want you to clear your entire bowl." Christa said.

Clementine felt anxiety building in her stomach, as she slowly forced herself to take a bite of the tasteless rice in front of her.

She didn't even realize she had finished her bowl until Christa spoke up, "What did you need help with?"

"I… I wanted to do something nice for Dani… For her birthday. She said it's in December." Clementine admitted.

"Alright then, what did you have in mind?" Christa asked.

"I... wanted to make her something." Clementine said. "I don't know what though."

Christa hummed. "I have the perfect idea."

"Really?" Clementine asked.

"How about we make some cookies? Christa said.

Clementine frowned, of course it would involve food…

* * *

They began making cookies. It was much different from how Clementine would help her mother bake cookies a long time ago.

She and Christa used a skillet. The ingredients consisted of Sun-butter, applesauce as an egg replacement, and sugar.

Clementine was almost skeptical that they would be able to make cookies with the three ingredients. She was surprised that it actually worked.

Clementine had to admit that it was comforting… Being able to cook gave her a chance to be around for without eating. She had full control over the food.

She needed that control. She needed to be able to control something.

* * *

Clementine had been so happy playing with Danielle for the last few days, so Christa wasn't surprised to see Clementine's little face would light up when she heard the knocking at the door the next morning.

When Christa opened it, she was a bit surprised to see Patricia and Gill.

"Hello, we just wanted to stop by and check in. Word got around that little Leena was back home." Patricia said.

"Yeah. I'm glad we're finally home." Christa said. "Come on in."

"Where's Clem?" Gill asked.

"Right in the living room. You can play with her if you want." Christa said.

Gill nodded as he and Patricia stepped in the house.

"Gill!" Clementine beamed as she spotted her friend.

"Hey, Clem…" Gill said a bit quietly.

"Are you mad at me?" Clementine suddenly asked, looking a bit worried.

"No." Gill said. "Why?"

"Well… you haven't been hanging out with me…" Clementine said.

"I just had a lot on my mind." Gill said.

"Like what?" Clementine asked.

"My dad…" Gill muttered.

"Oh…"

"I wasn't trying to avoid you or anything." Gill said.

"Are you sure? You seemed upset at me…" Clementine said.

"I'm not. I told you I don't like seeing people play with weapons." Gill said.

"And I told you I wasn't playing… I was dead serious." Clementine replied.

Gill frowned. "I… I was worried about you."

"Worried? Why?"

"Because that was… dangerous…I thought you… were actually gonna shoot someone…and I know they're gonna try to get you back for what you did." Gill said.

"They can try all they want. But I warned them not to fuck with me." Clementine said.

Gill sighed. "Just be careful, Clem. Please."

"I will be." Clementine said.

"Good. How are you feeling?" Gill asked.

"Okay. Just tired. But I'm glad the twins are home." Clementine said.

"Me too."

"I've just been taking care of them and playing with Dani." Clementine explained.

Gill raised a brow. "Dani? Who's Dani?"

"She's my friend." Clementine said.

"Oh." Gill seemed to sigh in relief. "It's a girl."

"Yeah… Danielle's my friend." Clementine said.

"That's good. I was worried you… got another guy friend and... replaced me." Gill muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't do that." Clementine said.

"I would hope not…" Gill said. "Sorry for not hanging out much. I just… couldn't stop remembering what happened to dad…"

"Maybe you have PTSD." Clementine suddenly said.

"What?"

"Christa told me I have PTSD. That's why I have nightmares… And flashbacks… Maybe you have PTSD too." Clementine said.

"What's that even mean?" Gill asked.

"It's… Umm… I don't know, but Christa said, some people get it after trauma." Clementine said.

"Oh…"

"I think Dani has it too…" Clementine said.

"Really? Is this Dani person nice?" Clementine didn't miss the slight hint of jealousy in his voice.

"She's been playing with me for a few days… since no one else was…" Clementine said.

"Well… I'll play with you now." Gill said.

"Okay…" Clementine said. "What do you want to play?"

"Whatever you want to play." Gill said.

"Let's play Uno!" Clementine said.

"Sure." Gill said.

"And Gill..." Clementine said.

"Yeah?"

"I missed you…" Clementine said.

Gill smiled. "I missed you too.

* * *

When Patricia and Gill had left the house they weren't expecting to see Edith and a young girl approaching.

Patricia smiled and spoke, "Edith, isn't this a surprise?"

"Hey, Patricia. How've you been?" Edith asked.

"Okay. Gill wanted to check in on Clementine." Patricia said. "Who's the little one?"

Danielle shyly hid behind Edith.

"This is Danielle. Dani, sweetie, you can say hi." Edith said.

Danielle opted to give a small wave.

"Hi, there sweetie, I'm Patricia. This is my son, Gill."

"Hey." Gill said.

"Sorry, she can be a little shy." Edith said.

"Oh, I understand." Patricia said. "Nice to meet you, Danielle. Maybe one day you, Clem, and Gill could have a play date."

Danielle frowned; she didn't know about playing with Gill.

"I'm sure Clem would like that." Edith said.

Danielle fought back a sigh.

"Alright. It's a date." Patricia said. "Come on, Gill."

The two walked away with Edith waving. Once they left Edith took Danielle's hand and led the child inside.

"Hey Christa." Edith said.

"Hey." Christa greeted back.

"Hi." Danielle said.

"Clementine's in the nursery." Christa said.

Danielle wasted no time running there. "Hey, Clem."

"Hey." Clementine said.

"I met your boyfriend…" Danielle said.

Clementine looked confused. "My boyfriend?"

"Gill?"

Clementine's face flushed. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Oh. That's good." Danielle said.

"Why's it good." Clementine asked.

"Because… boys only want one thing." Danielle said.

"Not all boys." Clementine disagreed.

"Most boys…"

"Gill's my friend. He doesn't just wanna fuck me." Clementine said.

Danielle cringed. "Can… You not say that word?"

"What word? Fuck?"

Danielle nodded in response. "I don't like that word…"

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"It's okay… I just don't think you should talk like that." Danielle said.

"Sometimes it just slips out. Sorry…" Clementine said. "Umm…" She pointed to a plate on her shelf. "I made those for you, as a birthday present. I don't know what day it is, but I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Thanks, Clem." Danielle went over and picked one up. "Are they peanut butter cookies?"

"Sun butter cookies." Clementine corrected.

"Sun butter?"

"It's made from sunflower seeds. I don't like peanut butter." Clementine said.

"Why not?" Danielle asked.

"Christa said it would make me sick when I was pregnant. Anything with peanut butter on it, crackers, or bread..." Clementine said. "I just... don't wanna risk it."

"Oh... Well, do you want one?" Danielle offered.

"Oh, no. I'm not hungry." Clementine quickly shook her head.

"Oh… Okay. Let's just save the rest for later." Danielle said. She ate one of the cookies enjoying the flavor.

Clementine nodded in agreement. Though she had no plan to eat one later. "Do you wanna play a game?"

"Sure."

"You can pick it." Clementine said.

"Okay." Danielle said. "Wanna play Connect four?"

"Sure."

* * *

Over the last few days Clementine had become completely focused on her weight. What she was eating, how skinny she was. Things shifted from friends and family to... herself. She started to distance herself, her social life was quickly changing.

She was convinced she was fat, useless, and disgusting. She thought that she would get fatter if she ate normally. Her obsession grew and she had become so paranoid that she restricted her food intake severely. In her mind she had two choices: starve or be fat.

No one could fix that she saw herself as fat.

She would compare herself to other people and she couldn't help but feel an immense amount of shame and distress each time she sat down for a meal. She forced herself to eat as little as possible.

She began to frequently check her body with her hands throughout the day. Clementine figured if losing a little weight was okay, losing a lot of weight would be better.

She restricted her food intake more and more and continued losing weight. She felt good. For once she felt in control. By focusing on not eating she was able to forget her anxiety, forget all other feelings.

She would get hungry, but she was getting used to the dull ache she felt after going hours with an empty stomach.

She was getting used to the burning in her throat that she felt each time she made herself throw up.

It became like an experiment to see how long she could go without eating or drinking anything.

Maybe if she didn't eat breakfast, she didn't need to eat lunch or dinner either.

She knew she was lying to herself and everyone else when she said she wasn't hungry, but she couldn't make herself eat.

Just the thought of food made her sick. No one understood how she felt.

No one really noticed.

Clementine thought it was crazy that the people closest to her, didn't even realize she was slowly starving herself.

Clementine suffered in silence. She was increasing becoming more and more isolated. She had no energy to play with her friends.

Even when Gill and Danielle came by, Clementine found herself so distracted as her mind raced with negative thoughts about herself. She always worried that her friends were judging her and felt so self-conscious around other people.

With her twelve-year-old fantasy of what friendship should be, she had hoped she, Gill, and Danielle would be best friends. However, that wasn't the case. Gill and Danielle didn't argue, quite the opposite actually, they competed with each other all the time for her attention. But Clementine didn't have the energy to give it to them.

Nor did she had interest in playing, she was too preoccupied with trying to avoid gaining weight. And she was happy with how quickly she was losing weight.

For days she had eaten scarcely anything at all. She would constantly force herself to vomit. It made her feel better afterward.

She concentrated on throwing up. She didn't think about anything else. The more she restricted her food intake, the more she would continue losing weight.

She felt good. For once she felt in control. By focusing on not eating she was able to forget her anxiety, forget all other feelings.

"Girls, dinner's ready." Christa let the children know.

"Oh… I'm not hungry." Clementine said.

Danielle frowned at this. "You have to eat…"

"I know… I'm just not hungry right now." Clementine said.

"Clem, we've talked about this." Christa said.

"No we didn't. You talked about this." Clementine said. "I've told you already, Promise and I are on a diet. You keep trying to force me to eat, but I keep telling you I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat Clem. How many times do we have to have this conversation?" Christa huffed.

"We don't have to have this conversation." Clementine said.

"Yes we do." Christa said. "You're putting your health at risk. And I cannot allow you to do that. I won't let you hurt yourself by not eating."

"I'm not hurting myself. This is what I want! No one ever cares what I want." Clementine said.

"You have to eat, or you'll die. That's how it works Clem. You eat you live. You don't… you'll get very sick. Honestly, I can't stand to see you like this." Christa said.

"Like what?" Clementine asked.

Christa just frowned, not offering an answer. "I'm bringing a doctor."

Clementine wanted to protest but she knew it was no use.

* * *

True to her word, Christa had spoken to a doctor who visited the house.

Clementine resisted the check up at first but with Christa's urging allowed the doctor to look her over.

"You've lost weight since I last saw you." The man said.

"That's good, right?" Clementine asked.

"Well… it's not exactly bad. But I heard that you haven't been eating lately. Why is that?" The doctor questioned.

Clementine shrugged. "I'm on a diet."

"A diet?"

Clementine nodded.

"It's okay to want to lose a little weight, but you don't have to avoid food all together. Besides you're in an okay weight range." The doctor said.

"I'm still fat from being pregnant. I want to make myself skinny." Clementine said.

"And you can. With exercise and good eating habits." The doctor said. "You're not fat though."

"I don't like food." Clementine said.

"Why don't you like food?" The doctor asked.

"It makes me sick." Clementine said. "And it makes me sad."

"How does food make you sad?" The doctor questioned.

"I don't know… It just…does…" Clementine said. "I wish I never had to eat again."

"Unfortunately, that can't happen. People need food to live. You do know that. It gives our bodies energy. And makes it so you can play with your friends during the day." The doctor said.

"I don't need to play. I need to take care of my twins." Clementine said.

"Well, in order to do that you need to take care of yourself too." The doctor said.

"I know…"

"Can you promise me you'll do that?" The doctor asked her.

She didn't want to promise because she knew she wouldn't be able to keep that promise. She didn't want to be a liar. "I… I'll try."

"I hope so… I'm gonna hold you to your word." The doctor said.

Clementine nodded.

"I'll check back in, in a few days. You two take care." The doctor said.

"We will. Thank you…" Christa said.

"You're welcome." The doctor said. "You be good now, Clementine."

Clementine frowned wondering if she had been naughty. "I will…"

* * *

"Clem, can I ask you something?" Danielle asked as the two sat together coloring in a coloring book.

"Sure, you can." Clementine said.

"…Have you been sick lately?" Danielle asked.

"Hmm? What would you think that?"

"I just, hardly see you eat. You're barely ever eat." Danielle said.

"I'm just… hardly ever hungry." Clementine said.

"You always say that. How come you're never hungry?" Danielle wondered.

"I'm just not hungry in the mornings." Clementine said.

"Or in the afternoon, or evening?" Danielle asked. "Come on, Clem. You hardly ever eat."

"I do eat. It's not like I'm starving. Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I'm worried. And it does seem like you're trying to starve yourself." Danielle said.

"I'm not starving myself. What do you know?" Clementine scoffed.

"I know that I'm worried about you." Danielle said, frowning at her friend's sudden anger.

"Well, don't be!" Clementine said before storming off.

* * *

The rest of the day it had been awkwardly quiet between the two girls. Danielle couldn't help but feel bad.

"Clem, talk to me, please." Danielle begged.

"What's there to talk about?" Clementine asked.

"Are you okay?" Danielle asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Clementine questioned back.

"I… I don't know… You've been acting different lately." Danielle said.

"How so?"

"We hardly play anymore…. We don't really spend much time together." Danielle said.

"I'm sorry. I've just been busy lately. Taking care of the twins and all." Clementine shrugged.

"But you don't play even when you're not taking care of them." Danielle said.

"I know, I'm just focused on more adult things right now." Clementine said.

"Adult things? You're still a kid, you know." Danielle replied.

"I'm not a kid. I haven't been a kid for a long time." Clementine argued.

"…Do the adult things include that list you made in your sketch book." Danielle questioned.

"Actually yes. I'm using it to keep track of my diet." Clementine stubbornly replied.

"Why are you on a diet? I still can't understand that. You're not fat at all." Danielle said.

"To lose weight." Clementine said.

"So you're starving yourself to lose weight?"

"I'm not starving myself. I told you already." Clementine groaned.

"You always say you're not hungry." Danielle said.

"Because I'm not! That doesn't mean I'm starving!" Clementine snapped.

Danielle flinched a bit, "I'm worried about you, I know you told me not to, but I can't help it."

"Why can't you?" Clementine scoffed.

"Because you're my friend, Clem. I care about you. You're my best friend, my only friend. I don't want anything bad to happen to you." Danielle said.

Clementine softened her tone. "Nothing bad is going to happen to me, Dani. I'm sorry I worried you. And I'm sorry I haven't been playing with you much, but we can play now?"

"Are you sure?" Danielle asked.

"I'm sure. What do you wanna play?"

"Can we play Sorry?" Danielle asked.

"Sure." Clementine said.

Danielle gave a small smile and stood. "I'll grab your crutches."

"Thanks, Dani." Clementine stood only to be hit by a sudden wave a dizziness.

Danielle grabbed her friend's crutches before turning to her. A look of concern crossed her face as she noticed her friend had her eyes screwed shut and a hand clutching her head. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I… I don't know… I just got dizzy all of a sudden." Clementine said.

"Do you want me to get Christa?" Danielle asked.

Clementine shook her head, "N-No. I'm fine…"

"You sure?" Danielle asked as she handed over the crutches.

Clementine gave a small nod.

Danielle furrowed her brows. "Maybe you should rest."

"N-No… I… I wanna play Sorry."

Danielle was concerned by how slurred the girl was speaking. "We can play after you rest."

Clementine shook her head. "I…said I'm fine, Dani… I'm…f-"

Danielle's eyes widened, "CHRISTA!"

* * *

Clementine groaned as she awoke, trying to force herself into sitting position.

"Take it easy, Clem." Christa gently pushed the girl to lay back down.

"What happened?" Clementine asked.

"You passed out." Christa answered.

"Passed out?" Clementine echoed.

"Yeah. You're a bit warmer than usual. Why haven't you told me you were feeling sick. Is that why you haven't had much an appetite lately." Christa asked.

"Oh… Yeah…" Clementine said. "Yeah. I think so. I didn't think it was anything serious... Just a cold."

"You wouldn't be passing out if it wasn't serious." Christa said. "Just let me know if you feel any worse. I'll go get the doctor."

"I'm fine. I just... need some rest."

"Alright, rest then." Christa said.

"Wait… where's Dani?" Clementine asked.

"Edith came to pick her up a little while ago." Christa said.

"Oh. How are the twins?" Clementine asked.

"They're fine. Don't worry. You just take it easy and rest." Christa said. "Kenny and Sarita are helping look after them."

"I can't take it easy… I… I need to take care of my girls." Clementine said.

"You need to rest… You're exhausted and sick. The twins will be fine." Christa said.

Clementine frowned but nodded.

"I'll check back in on you later. Try to get some sleep."

"…Okay."

* * *

Her friend looked exhausted, weakened. Danielle offered the girl a small smile, trying to hide her look of worry. "Hey… How are you feeling?"

"Okay…" Clementine spoke in a gentle voice.

Danielle knew Clementine's quietness had nothing to do with disinterest, her friend just didn't have the energy to carry on a conversation. "You don't seem okay…"

"I'm fine, Dani…" Clementine whispered.

"You're pretty far from fine, Clem. If you're fine why did you pass out? Are you sick?" Danielle asked.

"I'm not sick."

"Christa said you were. Why would you be passing out if you're not sick?"

Clementine sighed, "I don't know... But believe me, I'm okay."

"I can't believe that." Danielle said. "Tell me what's wrong.

"Nothing's wrong."

"That's not true. Please tell me. I wanna help you." Danielle said.

"Help me how?" Clementine inquired. "By running and telling Christa?"

"Telling what?" Danielle said.

Clementine answered before she could stop herself. "That I've been making myself throw up!"

Danielle's eyes widened. "You've been what?"

"N-Nothing... Forget I said anything…"

Danielle frowned, but decided not to comment. "I… I'll let you get some rest, Clem."

Clementine didn't offer a response.

Danielle made her way from the room, leaving the door cracked. She went to find Christa, fortunately she didn't have to look far as the woman was sitting on the couch.

"Christa, can I talk to you?" Danielle asked.

"Sure, you can. What is it?" Christa asked back.

Danielle nervously bit her lip debating on what to say. "It's… about Clem."

Christa straighten up. "What it is? Is she okay?"

Danielle simply shook her head. Clementine was definitely not okay. "Clem… Clem told me she's been forcing herself to throw up…"

Christa was shocked to hear that, but it did explain why Clementine was losing weight and getting so sick suddenly. Christa decided the rest of the group should know about this.

* * *

Everyone gathered in the kitchen as Christa spoke. "You all know, Clementine's not doing well."

"Of course not. She never eats anything." Kenny huffed.

"I know…" Christa muttered. Her speech, when it did come, was matter of fact, her voice surprisingly steady, but alert and a bit fearful. "I think she has anorexia."

"Anor-what?" Becca asked.

Christa had to remind herself that Sarah and Becca were probably just starting middle school when the apocalypse broke out. She couldn't expect them to know what terms like "anorexia" meant. "It's... an eating disorder."

"I thought you had to be super skinny to have an eating disorder." Sarah said.

"What's wrong with losing some weight? Most woman want to after they have a baby." Becca said.

Christa furrowed her brows and asked Becca, "Did you tell her she was fat?"

"Huh?" Becca asked.

"Did you tell Clem she was fat?" Christa repeated.

"Of course not. I just… said I was surprised that she was worried about how much her body changed with the pregnancy." Becca said. "I didn't mean anything wrong by it."

"Look, no one's to blame here…" Sarita spoke up. "What we need to do now is figure out how to help Clementine."

"Ain't it simple. We just get her to eat." Kenny said.

"It's not simple. I've been trying to get her to eat, and she's been throwing it up behind our backs." Christa said.

"Maybe she's just been sick." Kenny said.

"She's making herself sick!" Christa said. "She forces herself to throw up."

"Maybe she's just sick of the food you feed her." Kenny grumbled.

"You're not taking this seriously!" Christa snapped.

"Of course, I am! I care about Clem as much you do!" Kenny snapped back.

"Then why are you taking this so lightly?" Christa inquired. "Eating disorders are a big deal!"

"Please stop arguing. Clementine hates when you guys argue…" Danielle piped in.

Christa sighed. "Okay… We need to figure something out. Clem needs help. And we all need to support her."

"Which means we shouldn't argue…" Sarita said. "Or blame one another. We just have to help her get better."

The others nodded.

* * *

When Gill dropped by Becca answered the door and simply told him Clementine couldn't play today.

"I know… Mom told me she was sick, so she said I should bring some soup." Gill said.

"She is sick… But it's not a cold." Danielle told him.

"What is it then? Is she okay?" Gill was getting worried now.

"She… She's been making herself sick?" Sarah spoke.

"How could she make herself sick?" Gill asked.

"She… She hasn't been eating… And when she does, she… makes herself throw up…" Danielle said.

"What? No way. Why would Clem do something like that?" Gill asked.

"She thinks she needs to lose weight." Danielle said. "She kept calling herself fat."

"Clem's not fat. She's perfect…" Gill trailed off blushing a bit.

"You like her, don't you?" Danielle suddenly asked.

Gill paused a moment before speaking, "Is it… wrong if I do?"

"I guess not…" Danielle said. She didn't know how to feel about it though. She had a hard time trusting guys.

"Do you think I can see her?" Gill asked.

"Probably… She's sleeping right now."

"Oh… Well, I don't want to disturb her…" Gill said. "Just give her this for me." He handed Danielle the can of soup.

Danielle took the soup but arched a brow. "She's doesn't have a cold…"

"I know… It's just a gift…" Gill said. "She can eat it when she feels better."

"I'll give it to her." Danielle said.

"Thanks."

* * *

Clementine had been on bedrest for two days and Becca couldn't feel more guilty. Still she couldn't bring herself to see the younger girl. Everyone else would sit in the room and talk to Clementine throughout the day, but Becca avoided doing so. Clementine was sick because of her, that was all she could think about.

Becca sat on the couch; face buried in her hands. She could hear the twins' gentle coos and they were in their baby rockers not far from her.

"Are you okay, Becca?" Sarita asked.

"No… I feel like an asshole…" Becca sighed as she moved her face from her hands.

"You've done nothing wrong, sweetie." Sarita said.

Becca opened her mouth to speak but stopped as Christa entered the room. "How's Clem?"

"She's still resting." Christa said.

"How is she feeling?" Becca asked.

"She's okay… I got her to eat a little bit." Christa said.

"…This is my fault…" Becca mumbled.

"It's not your fault, Becca…" Sarita said.

"It is. If I hadn't said anything to her, she would have started starving herself." Becca said.

"It's not your fault; eating disorders are complex illnesses. Her mind and body are not well. One person doesn't cause an eating disorder. There has to be another component. Clementine has anxiety and is depression-prone… Not to mention, Clementine has faced a lot of trauma…" Christa said.

"I just don't understand why she would do this to herself." Becca said.

"It's the same reason why she was cutting." Christa said. "Eating disorders are more complicated than just not eating. It's her negative thoughts and feelings that fuel the damaging behaviors. Restricting food is used to feel in control. She thinks she's in control but she's not, anorexia is."

"So what do we do?" Becca asked.

"We just got to be patient with her and help her get better." Sarita said.

"We should hold an intervention." Christa said.

"An intervention?" Becca asked. "Like they do for people hooked on drugs?"

"It doesn't always have to involve drugs…" Christa said. "Interventions are supposed to help people realize that their living a damaging lifestyle. The people who love them help them see that."

"She's not going to want to come to an intervention." Sarita said.

"I know she's not…" Christa said.

"I… think I have an idea…" Becca said.

The two women looked to Becca.

"Sarita… remember how you wanted to have a picnic?" Becca asked.

"Yes…" Sarita waited for her to continue.

"Maybe we could do that… tomorrow…" Becca said.

* * *

When Clementine woke, she felt her heart drop as she noticed the twins were no longer in their crib.

Slowly getting up she grabbed her crutches which were leaned on the wall. She made her way out the room. The house was so quiet, she was nervous. Where did everyone go? Had they all abandoned her?

"C-Christa?"

No answer.

The girl continued through the house until she came to the living room. She was surprised to see the group gathered in the living room. Edith and Danielle, as well as Patricia and Gill were there.

A blanket was laid on the ground with different foods on it, set up like a picnic.

"What's going on?" Clementine said.

"Oh, we just thought it'd be nice to have a picnic." Kenny spoke up. "We were waiting for you to join us."

"I'm not hungry." Clementine said.

"We know you are, sweetie… You just don't want to eat." Sarita said.

"That's not true! I do want to eat, but I can't!" Clementine snapped. "None of you know anything! None of you give a damn about me!"

"We do care about you, Clem. That's why we want to help you." Sarita said.

"I don't need help." Clementine said.

"You do need help. You're starving yourself." Christa said.

"Telling me to eat isn't help!" Clementine exclaimed.

"I know, Clem. Believe me, I know…" Christa said.

"Then… why are you doing this to me?" Clementine asked, feeling tears fill her eyes.

"We're only trying to help you, Clem…" Christa said. "You're killing yourself…"

"I…I'm not." Clementine said.

"You are, Clementine. You are and you know it. Do you really want to leave your little girls? Your babies?" Christa asked.

"N-No… I don't want them to grow up without their mommy…" Clementine said.

"None of us want that. They need their mommy." Christa said. "You're not just hurting yourself. You're hurting us too..."

"The pain will be too much for me if you die." Clementine said.

"You're in a dark place, but it will get better. You just have to fight, Clem." Christa gently said.

"I'm tired of fighting…" Clementine sniffled.

"You have to keep fighting for your girls. You have two little girls to take care of, to protect. To teach how to be strong just like their mommy." Christa said.

"I don't feel strong." Clementine said.

"You're the strongest person I know." Christa said. "You have your whole life ahead of you, but you're throwing it away, I can't let you do that. If you're strong enough to starve yourself, then you can be strong enough to eat."

Clementine's gaze fell to the food. She could already feel her heart pounding.

"Can you eat something? Just a little." Sarah asked her.

Clementine frowned.

"One bite… We had this picnic for you." Becca spoke up.

"I c-can't…" Clementine choked.

"We made you cookies…" Danielle said.

Clementine felt as if she was hit with dejavu. "I…"

"Gill and Christa helped me." Danielle said.

Gill gave a nod.

"Just one bite…" Christa urged.

"…Okay…" Clementine couldn't help but remember that day with Sandra. Clementine accepted one of the cookies and hesitantly took a sing bite.

"We're not gonna push you to eat anything. But how about we just sit together?

"It wouldn't be fun without you, Clem."

Clementine looked around. "Okay."

"Sit near me." Danielle took her friend's hand. Clementine obliged.

They continued their picnic, enjoying each other's company.

It was relaxing and peaceful. They talked, joked, and laughed. Clementine even nibbled on a few crackers.

"Look!" Sarah pointed to the window and the others looked over. Snow had begun to gently fall as they watched from the window. AJ was giggling in Kenny's lap. The twins were fast asleep in their rockers. And for the first time in a long time Clementine felt completely at peace.

Clutching her friend's hand with her head laid on Gill's shoulder Clementine soon drifted to sleep.

Christa noticed this and gave a small smile. She knew there would be ups and downs, bad days and setbacks, but moments like this gave her reassurance that everything was going to be alright.


	7. Chapter 7

_**I'm so sorry for the extremely long wait for this chapter. There's been a lot going on. Hopefully everyone enjoys it and I can get the next one out sooner rather than later.**_

 _ **Everyone stay safe with all the craziness going on in the world currently.**_

 _ **And a big thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

* * *

Wellington wasn't doing great. It had become obvious to everyone there. The town was over-crowded, and each time they turned a group away, especially a large group, that only help create another potential attacker- people harboring anger at not being accepted behind the walls of Wellington's safe zone.

The town had already been the target of several failed attacks. Bandits surely had their eye on the place.

It didn't help that the people here weren't soldiers. They weren't fighters. Mostly everyone in Wellington was a survivor just trying to live a peaceful life. And they wanted it to be as close as to what the world used to be.

Due to random snowfalls and unexpected bandit attacks, the hunting parties could only go but so far to search for food.

Which meant there was less to eat, and more people in Wellington than could be fed. With the deteriorating food situation, rations were cut. Reduced rations left everyone struggling.

The easiest way for children to get food was to go to school where they were given a warm meal. Otherwise rations were split between the household.

However, the last attack to the town had left several guards injured leaving the town vulnerable, which left the leaders with another idea on how to defend their town.

"I understand that the children need to be able to defend themselves but is this really necessary? It feels to me that we're putting them more at risk." Edith spoke.

Implementing survival lessons and patrols during the school days made Edith feel like their town was raising children to become soldiers. Edith couldn't imagine forcing little Clementine or Danielle on a patrol around town.

"The only way this town is going to thrive is if everyone pitches in to make it work. We all have to protect it." One of the town leaders said. "These groups aren't giving us a choice...Each and every school age child needs to be in attendance. No exceptions."

Edith frowned at that. "Clementine and Danielle need to be exceptions. Those two aren't gonna do well in a school setting. They-"

"Need to learn as much as any other child." The leader cut the woman off. "Just as before, it is a child's job to attend school. This is for their own good and ours as well."

"What if they don't? What if the family doesn't want to send them?" Edith asked.

"If a family cannot oblige to our rules, they don't need to be in this town and they're fully welcome to leave."" The leader said.

* * *

"Edith, you already know why I can't do that." Christa said. "Clementine's not going to do well in a school setting…"

"You won't know that until you send her." Edith said. "I spoke to Dani about going, and she said, she'll go if Clem does."

"There are multiple reasons why this won't work." Christa said. "Clementine's a mother to two babies, she can't stand being away from the twins for too long…"

"Look, she… she might not have to. We'll try to work something out where she only has to do a half a day." Edith said. "She won't have to go to school as often as the other children."

"This just doesn't feel like a good idea." Christa frowned.

"This is necessary… It's for the best interest of all the children." Edith said.

"Are you sure? Because I really don't think Clem's best interest is in mind. Danielle's either." Christa huffed.

"It was decided at the meeting that all children must attend the school." Edith said. "It's out of my power."

"Just… give me some time to talk to her." Christa frowned.

Edith gave a small nod.

* * *

"Watch!" Clementine commanded. Laying her crutches down, the child walked the length of the room unaided while Christa watched with a smile. Her achievement had climaxed thanks to intensive therapy. She still had more rebuilding of her body to do but she was delighted with her small but triumphant excursion.

"That's great, Clem." Christa praised. "Really. But don't push yourself. I don't want you getting hurt."

"…Okay…" Clementine studied her guardian's face and asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine… But… We need to talk." Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine said. "What about?"

Christa motioned to the bed, "Take a seat…"

Clementine made her way back to the bed and took a seat. Christa took a seat beside her.

"So… Edith came by earlier…And we talked a bit." Christa said.

The girl immediately seemed nervous, "Am… Am I in trouble?"

"No. Of course not." Christa said. "I just wanted to ask you something …How would you feel about going to school."

Clementine was silent for a moment before simply saying. "I don't want to go."

Christa sighed, "I know you don't want to. But it probably wouldn't be as bad as you think."

"Of course it would! I'd be away from my girls!" Clementine exclaimed.

"It'll only be for a few hours." Christa said.

"A few hours is too long! I wanna be with them all the time." Clementine protested.

"I know, Clem. I know…" Christa sighed. "Listen, sweetie-"

"No! I don't wanna go!" Clementine said, shaking her head. "I'm staying here with my girls."

"Clem, please…Don't be difficult right now." Christa said.

"You can't make me! You can't!" Clementine turned away from the woman.

"Clem, you have to. I know you don't want to, but you have to." Christa said. "Just like children had to go to school before. They have to go here too."

"I'm not a child. I can't go, because I have to watch my girls." Clementine said.

"You'll still be able to take care of your girls." Christa replied.

"Not if I'm at school." Clementine said. "They need me."

"I need you to give school a chance. Please." Christa said.

"No… I don't want to go…" The girl remained stubborn. "Why are you trying to punish me?"

"It's not a punishment, Clem. I promise you that." Christa said.

"It feels like one." Clementine said.

Christa frowned at the child's words. "I'm going to talk to Edith, and I'll let you know what she says, but I can't make any promise for anything yet."

"…Okay…"

* * *

"I talked to Clementine about the school situation." Christa explained to Edith the next day while Clementine and Danielle were playing.

Edith took a sip of her tea, which Christa had prepared. "How'd she take it?" She asked.

"As well as I expected. She doesn't want to go." Christa replied.

Edith sighed at that. "I figured. I wish she didn't have to. I tried to make her and Danielle exceptions, but the leaders were stubborn."

"I just feel like this is gonna hurt Clem, not help her." Christa said.

"I'm not trying to hurt her. I'm just following orders." Edith said.

"Yeah, at what cost?" Christa huffed.

"At the cost of her staying here." Edith said, almost regretting those words when Christa sent her a cold look. "It's either the parents willingly allow the child to partake in the school program or we'll before forced to lower rations."

"More than you already have?" Christa scoffed. "Clem can't go right now. You know what she's been through."

"I understand. Dani's been through the same. But I feel like if they go together, they'll be okay." Edith said.

"Clem has two kids. And she obviously has separation anxiety. She doesn't want to be away from them." Christa said.

"I know she doesn't. We'll figure something out, maybe get her to only have a half day." Edith said.

"I don't think that will make things much better…" Christa sighed.

"I don't know what else to do… I'll try to talk to the leaders again…" Edith said.

"Alright…." Christa sighed.

* * *

"Edith, we've already spoken on this matter." The leader said, looking annoyed.

"I know what was said but those two little girls should be excused." Edith stressed to him.

"If we allow them to be excused then other people will expect to be excused from their duties. We're not asking the children to do much. Attend the school." The leader said.

"Clem… she has two babies to look after…" Edith explained. "And one of the babies is… sick."

"Babies also used resources, resources their mother should be working for." The leader said.

"Usually I would agree. But the mother is a child herself. A young child at that." Edith said.

"Regardless, If they don't follow the rules. They can't stay." The leader said.

"That's over the top don't you think?" Edith asked.

"It's simple. If they want to make it complicated, then we'll have to take extra measures." The leader said.

"This doesn't seem right…" Edith said.

"We're doing this for our town. Since it appears you can't handle this situation, I'll talk to them myself." The leader said.

Edith started to protest but knew it would be no use.

* * *

Christa was more than surprised when the town leader and a couple guards showed up to their door that evening.

She hesitantly allowed the trio in as the leader had informed her, he needed to speak with her.

"What is this all about…?" Christa questioned. "It's kind of late…"

"Is there a young girl here. Clementine?" The leader asked.

"Yeah… That's my girl." Christa nodded.

"Your daughter?" The leader asked.

"Something like that." Christa said.

"Well, I'd like to talk to her." The leader said.

"About what?" Christa asked.

"Edith has probably spoken to you about the required schooling of the towns' children, correct?" The leader asked.

"I asked her to plead Clementine's case. That little girl has been through a lot. A school setting would be too intense for her right now." Christa said.

"It's not an option… We have certain things the children will learn in schools." The leader said.

"Like what?" Christa asked.

"This is for the children to learn how to defend themselves and their town. Think of it as a military school." The leader said.

Christa furrowed her brows.

"I'd like to speak with your girl." The leader repeated.

Christa seemed hesitant.

"You can be present, if that makes you feel better." The leader said.

"Yeah… Anything you say to her, you shouldn't have a problem saying in front of me." Christa said.

The leader simply nodded.

"I'll go get her." Christa said before going to the little girl's room. "Clementine, we have guests…"

"Is someone here to play with me?" Clementine asked innocently.

"Not quite…" Christa sighed. "They want to talk to you though."

"Oh?" The nervous look that crossed the girl's face made Christa's heart ache. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all… Just come with me, okay?" Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine said.

* * *

Before long Clementine found herself seated on the couch with two guards and Wellington's leader staring back at her.

"I have to talk to you about something serious." The leader said. "What happens in society if people don't follow the rules?"

"They get in trouble..." Clementine answered, feeling confused.

"That's right. Sometimes society decides they can't live there anymore, and they're removed." The leader said.

"What are you saying? What exactly do you mean by that? Are you threatening us?" Christa inquired; a bit taken aback by his words.

"My apologies," he said with a smile. "I don't mean to worry you. I'm just stating a point. People who don't follow the rules will be forcefully removed from Wellington by our troops."

"You are threatening us. If you mention troops, then you're threatening us." Christa said.

The leader ignored her words, keeping his gaze on Clementine. "What the world looks like tomorrow depends on the outcomes of today. Have you ever heard that saying?"

Clementine shook her head.

"Well, it's true, little one." The man said. "…I heard you have babies living here."

"Mm-hm. AJ… And my twins." Clementine said.

"AJ and your twins?" The leader repeated.

"Yes…" Clementine said.

"You know, when people have children it's their responsibility to provide for them." The leader said.

"I know…." Clementine muttered.

"But we provide the resources for them…" The man said.

"Which we appreciate." Christa cut in.

"That's not enough…" The man said. "If you want to continue to receive their needed resources, you'll comply with our rules."

"You mean… go to the school…?" Clementine asked.

"Exactly." The leader said.

"But I'll miss my girls." Clementine said.

"What's more important? Your feelings, or their health? Is your baby not sick? Does our hospital not provide supplies to keep her alive?" The leader asked in a cold tone.

Clementine was quiet for a moment before saying, "I'll go…"

"That-a-girl. I knew you were smart." The leader smirked.

Christa shot him a glare. There were several good reasons for children to attend school but the fact that it was required was ridiculous. Christa felt her blood boil at how this man came in and spoke to her girl.

"You can leave now." Christa said.

"Gladly. Sorry to disturb." The leader said. "You have a nice day now."

Clementine flinched at those words, the way he said it made her heart skip a beat. It reminded her of… of him…

Christa noticed this and saw the young girl trembling a bit. "Clem, what's wrong?"

Clementine didn't respond.

"Clem?" Christa asked, concern clear on her face.

"I… I just need to be with my girls…" Clementine mumbled.

"Okay, Clem… Let me know if you need anything." Christa knew better than to press the issue. "And don't stay up too late, okay."

Clementine simply nodded in response.

* * *

"Hey, hon..." Kenny greeted Sarita as he entered the living room.

"Hello, Kenny." Sarita greeted back, while gently bouncing AJ in her lap.

"How are you and the little guy?" Kenny asked.

"We're okay…" Sarita said. "We're running low on baby food."

"I know… I tried to talk about getting more rations but..." Kenny trailed off with a sigh.

"No luck?" Sarita asked with a frown.

"Nah. Nothing new." Kenny said. "They're not budging on anything. People brought the issue up numerous times."

"Great, you're both here." Christa said as she stepped into the living room. "You're not going to believe this bullshit…"

"What are you talking about?" Kenny asked.

"Those assholes threatened us yesterday!" Christa exclaimed.

Kenny straightened up at that. "Hold on… Wait… who threatened you?"

"The leader came knocking on the door last night, demanding we send Clem to school. And he had the nerve to threaten her and the kids." Christa said.

Sarita's eyes widened at that. "Wh-What?"

"This is ridiculous. First, they keep cutting our rations- we barely have enough as it is. And now they're throwing threats around." Christa said.

"My goodness… What do we do about it?" Sarita asked.

"I… I don't know… but we're gonna have to do something." Kenny said. "What exactly did that asshole say?"

"He told Clem that if she didn't go to school, they'd be forced to cut more rations and… refuse Aleena her medicine." Christa explained.

"Maybe… He was bluffing." Sarita said.

"Bluffing or not, I don't give a damn. They threatened a baby." Christa huffed. "And they threatened Clem."

"This is the shit I was worried about…" Kenny shook his head. "It's like that Crawford place all over again."

Sarita looked to him, "What?"

"There was a place in Savannah, called Crawford. The girl who used the bells, Molly- she had mentioned how it used to be a community, but it fell. Rules got strict, and it got to the point where they restricted who could stay in town. Wouldn't let kids, elderly, or anyone who was ill stay…" Kenny explained.

"Why would they do that?" Sarita asked in horror.

"Because they didn't want anyone who they considered a liability." Kenny said.

"I remember Molly mentioning that." Christa muttered. "…This is why I don't do groups. They always fall apart."

"What else can we do? You wanna run solo now?" Kenny scoffed.

"No, that's not what I meant." Christa sighed. "I'm not leaving the kids."

"Then what do you suggest?" Kenny asked.

"That we stock up on supplies. And we leave while we have the chance." Christa said.

"You're kidding, right? Are you forgetting how much we went through just to get here?" Kenny inquired.

"Of course not! But people know exactly what happened to Clem and Dani. It's not a secret, so I can't for the life of me understand why they're pushing so hard to get them to go to school. And I won't stand for someone threatening those kids." Christa said. "Edith tried to plead their case, but it didn't help. She couldn't get through to them."

"We'll… We'll figure something out." Kenny said.

"I hope so…" Christa said.

"Me too. How's Clem doing anyways?" Sarita asked.

"She's been on that little treadmill for almost an hour." Christa sighed.

"Ain't nothing wrong with that." Kenny shrugged.

"She's been working out non-stop, Kenny. She doesn't need to be pushing herself so much." Christa said.

"Did she eat breakfast?" Kenny asked.

"Barely." Christa said.

"But she ate?" Kenny questioned.

"Yes she did." Christa replied.

"Then I don't see what the problem is." Kenny said.

"The problem is she's overworking herself. The doctor even said she's been losing weight at a quicker pace than most adult woman do after having a baby." Christa said.

"That's a good thing, ain't it?" Kenny said. "She had to lose the baby weight eventually."

"I don't want her making herself sick. With how they're cutting our rations and the way she's working out it could become a bad thing. I don't want her making a habit of starving herself or overworking herself." Christa said.

"If the doctor ain't concerned about it, ain't no reason for us to be." Kenny said with a shrug. "And she's not starving, just because she eats like a damn mouse."

"I'll be voicing my concerns during her next check-up. I just wish you would realize how serious this is." Christa said.

"I just wish you would stop worrying so much. She's fine." Kenny said. "I'm gonna go check on her."

Christa had no time to respond before Kenny had walked off.

* * *

Upon hearing someone enter her room, Clementine glanced over to see Kenny, but didn't stop her walking. "Hi…"

"Hey, Clementine. How are you doing?" Kenny asked the girl.

"I'm… okay." Clementine said.

"I see you're working out again…" Kenny observed.

"Uh-huh."

"Christa said you've been at it for a long while." Kenny said.

Clementine finally stopped, stepping off the treadmill. "The doctor said if I walk on the treadmill it will help me transition from the crutches."

"No need to rush things, darlin'." Kenny said. "And you shouldn't push yourself."

"I want to lose more weight, so I need to keep working out." Clementine said.

"You already lost a lot of weight, darlin'." Kenny said.

"Not enough."

"More than enough. You don't need to make yourself sick." Kenny said.

"You don't need to worry about me." Clementine said.

"It's my job to worry about you, Clem. I'm supposed to protect you." Kenny replied.

"From the people who wanna kick us out?" Clementine suddenly asked.

"No one wants to kick us out…"

"They said so… They want me to go to school and… and leave my girls." Clementine said. "And if I don't, they'll kick us out."

"I ain't gonna let that happen." Kenny said. "Don't worry about what those shitbirds said."

"I don't want them to make me go. I wanna stay with my girls and… and with AJ." Clementine said.

"You ain't gonna be alone there. Sarah and Becca-"

"They both barely talk to me…" Clementine cut him off. "And Becca is always being mean…"

"It's… just a phase. Give them some time." Kenny said.

Clementine just shook her head with a frown.

"Everything will be fine, darlin." Kenny said.

* * *

Every minute that passed without him knowing where the girls were or if they were okay made him sick. Luke yearned to see them. He needed to know they were okay.

"Something on your mind?" Bonnie's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Something's always on my mind… Just thinking about the girls…" Luke answered.

"The twins…?" Bonnie asked.

Luke nodded, "Yeah…"

After killing their captors, the small group settled down at their camp. But Luke was ready to move on.

"I'm sure they're okay, Luke…" Bonnie said.

"I am too… But… I'd like to see that for myself." Luke said.

"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked.

"I was thinking about leaving." Luke admitted.

Bonnie looked surprised. "You wanna leave? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Well, those assholes forced us here in the first place. They took all our supplies and forced us to come to their camp and be their errand boys." Luke reminded.

"But they're dead now… Luke, it's safe here. There's food… we have a whole camp. Leaving is just… it's too dangerous." Bonnie said.

"Everywhere is dangerous. I have two little girls out there; they need their daddy." Luke said. "…Back at the town, Christa came up to me and talked to me about leaving.

"Really?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah… And I was close to doing it." Luke said.

"You thought about leaving us?" Bonnie questioned, feeling hurt.

"I did." Luke said. "I did think about it… But can you really look at me and say none of you thought about taking off? I wanted to do what was best for Clem and the twins."

"Did you really think that was best? Especially after what happened with Jane." Bonnie said.

"That's the reason why I wanted to leave. Anyway… she talked to me about leaving before the whole Jane situation." Luke said.

Bonnie frowned at that. "So you were really thinking about up and leaving?"

"Yes. I really was." Luke simply replied.

"Can't say I'm surprised." Vince spoke up. "That whole group was run on lies and deceit. It felt like no one really trusted each other."

"Look, I'm only bringing this up because both Kenny and Christa had mentioned Wellington. If Wellington is out there, that means that's probably where they are." Luke said. "I want to go find them."

"Well… I mean, if you're confident that they're out there in Wellington than I'll go with you. I'll go with you to find your little ones…" Bonnie said.

"Really…? I appreciate it, Bonnie." Luke said before looking to Vince, Wyatt, and Russell, "What about you guys?"

"You really think leaving this behind is smart?" Russell asked.

"I don't know." Luke said. "But I gotta take the chance."

"Well good luck with that… You guys are on your own." Russell scoffed.

"Russell, don't be like that." Wyatt said.

"I'm serious. I… I don't want to leave. I don't want to just go back out there and end up dead." Russell said.

"That's not gonna happen." Luke said.

"You don't know that." Russell said.

"If they're alive and they're out there, how are you even going to find them?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm sure they're at Wellington. That's where they have to be." Luke said.

"Where exactly is this Wellington?" Vince asked.

"It's in Michigan. That's what Kenny said." Luke said.

"What if this Wellington place isn't even real. What if it was just some stupid pipe dream they had?" Wyatt asked.

"I'll keep looking until I find them. I want to see the twins again." Luke said.

"Maybe they're better off…" Russell said.

"Fuck no! I'm not leaving them. I want them to know who I am. I want them to know that their daddy actually looked for them." Luke said.

"You don't even know if they're still alive!" Russell said.

"They are. They… have to be… They have to be." Luke said.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Clem." Christa's voice and nudging made Clementine stir awake.

The girl groaned as she slowly sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. "I really don't want to go…"

"It's not going to be as bad as you think." Christa said.

"Of course it is! I'll be away from my girls." Clementine huffed.

"There's nothing wrong with just trying to go to school. One day won't hurt." Christa said. "You'll be fine. You'll make a bunch of friends no problem."

"I don't need any more friends. I just wanna stay here." Clementine frowned. "Please don't make me go, Christa…"

"Just try going for one day… You might have fun." Christa said.

Clementine shook her head. "I won't…"

"Danielle's going. I think she'd feel better if you were with her…" Christa said.

"I don't want to be away from my twins. What don't you people understand?" Clementine said.

"I fully understand, Clem. Trust me."

"Then why can't I stay here?" Clementine asked.

"Because… they're going to keep complaining about this. Please just do this for your girls…" Christa said.

"For my girls…?"

Christa nodded.

Clementine frowned. "…Will you come get me when school's over."

"I promise you I will." Christa said.

"And… will you bring the twins?" Clementine said.

"If it's not too cold outside, I'll bring the twins." Christa said.

"…Okay. For my girls."

* * *

The first day in the class, Clementine knew she wasn't going to like this.

"Why don't you two introduce yourselves? Say your name and something interesting about yourself." The teacher said.

Both Clementine and Danielle exchanged looks at being put on the spot like that. Neither of them said a word.

"That's Clementine and that's Danielle," Becca spoke up, motioning towards the two as she introduced them.

"Becca, I appreciate your help, but I think they can speak or themselves." The teacher looked to the two girls.

Danielle shrank back a bit, hesitating to speak.

"My name is Clementine." Clementine spoke first, sensing her friend's uncomfortableness.

"My…My name's Danielle." Danielle spoke up. "And… Umm… this is F-Flopsie."

Some of the kids snickered.

Danielle frowned and shrink back into her seat.

"Stop laughing at us! We don't want to be here in the first place!" Clementine snapped at the class.

"Clementine, settle down, please." The teacher said. "I assure you school can be a great experience. Why wouldn't you want to be here."

"I want to be with my girls." Clementine replied.

"Your girls?" The teacher asked.

"She has two kids." Becca spoke up.

Everyone fell quiet. Shock expressions on the kids' and the teacher's faces.

"You're a… mother?" The teacher questioned.

Clementine nodded. "I have two daughters. They're twins."

"…Wow…" One of the kids said.

"What the hell? You're like ten…" Another kid said.

"I'm twelve…" Clementine corrected.

The teacher cleared her throat, still shocked by the information. "Settle down everyone. Let's…start class."

* * *

Most the kids in the school seemed older than her and Danielle. So, the two younger children were forced to entertain themselves.

Unfortunately for Clementine, the first day of school went about as she expected.

The teacher seemed welcoming, but the children didn't make her feel comfortable at all.

If she tried to talk to any of the older kids, they would turn their backs or talk amongst themselves-ignoring her.

It felt weird, sitting in a classroom all day. Clementine was anxious sitting in one place for so long, she'd find herself constantly doodling in a notebook or playing with her teddy bear. Promise helped with her anxiety, she needed him. She spoke to Danielle, Sarah, and Becca when the girl would talk to her, but for the most part she tuned out.

"Look who's walking. What happened to your wheelchair?" One of the boys as Clementine during free period.

"I don't need it anymore." Clementine said.

"Right. You got those now." He motioned to her crutches. "If your legs are so useless why don't you just cut them off."

"That's a stupid question." Clementine said, shooting him a look.

"She's right. It is." An older girl said. "The real question should be, why don't you just kill yourself since you're so useless."

Clementine frowned at that before saying, "Why don't you?"

"You're a bold little brat, ain't you?" The boy scoffed.

"Forget it, Hunter. She's not worth it." The girl said. "Come on."

The two walked away and a stunned Gill spoke, "Wow…"

"What?" Clementine asked turning to him.

"I just… People don't usually stand up to them…" Gill said.

"I'm not people. And I'm not scared of a stupid bully." Clementine said.

Gill had to admit the girl never failed to impress him.

* * *

"Out of your mouth, darlin…" Kenny spoke in a calm voice.

Sarita sent him a look, "Kenny…"

"Clementine… I'm talking to you." Kenny spoke, ignoring Sarita. "Earth to Clementine."

The girl finally met his gaze.

"Get your thumb outta your mouth, please." Kenny said.

When the child didn't comply, Kenny groaned.

"It's not a huge deal, Kenny." Sarita said. "She's a young child."

"It is a huge deal. You know how I feel about her sucking her thumb." Kenny said.

"It's a coping mechanism. A lot of kids do it after trauma…" Sarita said.

"Danielle doesn't." Kenny said.

"Danielle carries Flopsie around like a security blanket. That's her coping mechanism. Clementine doesn't have Promise twenty-four hours a day." Christa said.

Kenny knew that was true, the girl liked to leave her bear with the twins so he could "watch over them". She only usually held him when she was upset, or during bedtime.

"Well, I don't want her to do it." Kenny said, suddenly standing from the table.

"What are you doing?" Christa asked.

"Where's her bear?" Kenny asked.

"Why?" Christa asked.

Ignoring her question, Kenny continued looking for the child's teddy bear, eventually finding it on the couch. He made his way back over to the young girl. "Take your thumb outta your mouth, Clem. And I'll give you Promise."

Clementine frowned and tried to reach for the bear with her free hand.

"Not until you take your thumb out your mouth."

"Kenny, come on. Just give her the bear." Christa said.

"Once she stops sucking her thumb…" Kenny said.

Clementine whimpered a bit then forced her thumb from her mouth.

"Thank you." Kenny said, offering the toy to the child.

Clementine practically snatched it from his grip. "Don't take Promise anymore…"

"Then don't suck your thumb anymore." Kenny shot back.

"Kenny…" Sarita shook her head in disapproval. She sent Clementine a kind smile and asked, "How was your first day, Clem?"

"…I hated it." Clementine simply replied.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Kenny said.

"It was more than "that" bad. I'm never going back there." Clementine said.

"Why do you say that?" Sarita asked.

"People were picking on her." Sarah said.

"And neither of you said anything?" Kenny asked.

"I…I didn't know what to do…" Sarah frowned. "I didn't want them to pick on me too."

"No one ever helps me…" Clementine said.

"It's not our fault you can't defend yourself." Becca said.

"You guys should have each other's back. Don't let Clem get picked on." Kenny said.

Becca rolled her eyes at that.

"So, what exactly did they teach you guys?" Christa asked, wondering why they were pushing so hard for her to send Clementine.

"They talked about patrols, hunting, stuff like that." Becca said. "They want everyone to be able to pull their own weight."

"I'd rather work than go to school." Clementine said.

"Clem, you can hardly walk." Kenny said.

"Thanks for throwing that in my face." Clementine said with a slight pout. "I'm staying here tomorrow."

"Clementine, you know that's not an option." Christa said.

"You said just try it once. I tried it once, and I hate it." Clementine replied.

"You have to go… They want you to." Christa said.

"I don't care. I never want to go back." Clementine argued.

"Well, if you don't, you'll be in trouble. We all will." Christa said.

"Then why can't we just leave?" Clementine inquired.

"Because we can't, Clem. You know that. We're safer here than anywhere else." Christa said. "Think about the twins- about Aleena. She won't survive out there. Chances are neither of the twins will."

"B-But…"

"I'm not gonna sit here and let what happened to Gen happen to them." Christa said.

"Gen…?" Clementine furrowed her brows.

"…My daughter…" Christa said. "I won't let another child die."

Clementine's eyes suddenly widened, a flashback coming to her.

 _Screams filled the confined space of the car they were in. Clementine, the little nine-year old girl, had no idea what she was doing. Christa's loud screams hurt her ears, and the small child was so worried that the noise would bring walkers._

 _The baby was soon held in her arms. A baby girl. However, there was a big issue. The baby wasn't moving, at all._

 _Christa took a couple breaths before speaking, "L-Let me… Let me see my baby…"_

" _T-The… The baby's not breathing." Clementine said._

" _What?!" Christa gasped. "Give me my baby!"_

 _Clementine handed the infant over with no hesitation, the little girl could feel her body quivering._

 _Christa held her baby close, tears springing to her eyes._

" _N-No…No… No! This can't be happening! NO!"_

 _Clementine flinched; her trembling didn't stop. She could hear Christa's cries and felt tears fall from her own face._

"Clementine, what's wrong?" The young girl was snapped back into reality, she could feel her little body shaking. "Did you remember something?"

Clementine gave a small nod but found herself unable to speak.

"You… remembered Genevieve, didn't you?" Christa asked.

Clementine nodded once more, choking on a sob. She hadn't realized she had been crying until she felt the wet droplets on her shirt.

Christa pulled the young girl into a hug. "It's gonna be okay…"

* * *

It had taken quite a while for Clementine to calm down. The girl seemed saddened for the remainder of the day. When Christa tucked her into bed, she still was a bit shaken up.

"Are you okay, Clem?" Christa asked.

"…I guess…" Clementine shrugged.

"Hey… Promise me you'll go tomorrow without a problem."

"I don't want to go, but I will." Clementine said.

"That's my girl." Christa said. "Try to get some rest, Clem."

The girl simply nodded, though she couldn't shake her anxiousness.

* * *

Getting the children into school wasn't as bad as Christa had expected, but both Clementine and Danielle had problems adjusting to the school, the teachers, and routines.

In the days to come, things didn't get any better.

Clementine decided to stick with her select friends. She had quickly learned how harsh the older children could be.

The girl was faced with ever increasing stress as the older kids made her a victim of bullying. Often, they would mention how she should be home with her babies, which annoyed the young girl. If she had the choice she would be with her girls.

Clementine continuously found herself getting into arguments with the other children. The teacher was completely aware of the bullying but always claimed the children just played rough, and Clementine should toughen up and grow thicker skin as the world was a harsh place. "This is survival school." She would say, "So we don't need any crybabies."

It didn't help that the kids who picked on her, Becca considered as friends. Becca was supposed to be _her_ friend; however, the older girl always made the excuse that Clementine was more like an "annoying little sister" than her friend. Becca would always step in if things went too far, but she didn't stop the simple teasing. She didn't think it was a big deal.

Clementine had already decided that she hated the school. She hated the kids, and she hated the teacher. She hated being there.

As the days passed Clementine started keeping to herself a bit more, refusing to speak a word to anyone in the classroom besides Sarah, Becca, Danielle, or Gill. The girl panicked every time an adult got too close to her.

Despite barely being able to walk, the girl refused to stay somewhere she didn't want to be. She would sneak out of class any opportunity she got, wanting nothing more than to be with her twins.

Christa quickly realized the child had severe separation anxiety when it came to the twins. She couldn't be away from them for longer than a few hours without going into panic mode.

The girl's tantrums got so bad that Christa and the teacher made an agreement to have the child return home around lunch, at least until she got used to school life.

Supervised class instruction lasted for four hours a day, not including survival training which added another two hours. However, she and Danielle were only made to sit in class for about half of the school day much to her relief.

Still, the woman knew kids could be cruel, so when Clementine came home telling her about being picked on by other children, the woman wasn't surprised. Christa had told the child it was okay to defend herself, and not to hesitate if she had to.

The woman quickly regretted those words. If Clementine found herself being picked on by a child or an adult, she would retaliate in some way.

The girl would often come home around lunch with a note from the teacher about how she had acted out. And she had to be escorted by one of the guards to and from school. Usually Edith, or Kenny would be the ones to pick up Clementine and Danielle early. However, if they were busy, it would be Terrell, who little Clementine seemed to have grown close to.

Home life wasn't much better. The girl's nightmares continued. And her behavior became more and more aggressive when she was frustrated. Christa sometimes found herself struggling to keep calm when she was dealing with Clementine on a bad day.

However, despite her hardships, little Clementine remained calm and attentive when it came to the twins. She was the perfect mother to them, regardless of her young age. Those two babies were the light of her life. Seeing her interactions with the twins and even AJ reminded Christa that Clementine was really a good kid.

* * *

"Why's everyone always picking on me at the school?" Clementine asked, as she played a board game with her friends.

"Who knows?" Becca said.

"Maybe they're jealous." Sarah suggested.

"Jealous of what?" Clementine asked.

"You get a lot of special attention." Becca said.

"I do not. Why do you always say that?" Clementine asked.

"Bullshit, you literally get escorted around by a guard who every girl, if not almost every woman in town has the hots for." Becca said.

"The hots?" Clementine rose a brow.

"They think he's sexy." Becca explained. "That's probably the big reason the girls pick on you. Or… they could just think you're annoying."

"Hey…" Clementine frowned.

"So, what do you think of him?" Danielle asked.

"Huh?" Clementine looked to the girl, wanting her to clarify.

"She means of your little bodyguard." Becca said.

"He's not my bodyguard." Clementine said.

"Yeah, right." Becca said.

"Terrell's nice, and he's kind of cute." Clementine admitted. "I like him."

"And he's also way older than you so you shouldn't even be thinking about him." Gill said.

Clementine simply shrugged.

"A guy like that would probably only go for a girl as sexy as him." Becca said.

"What makes a woman sexy?" Clementine asked.

"I don't know, some people are just naturally sexy… For others, they have to make themselves sexy, with short skirts or makeup." Becca shrugged.

"Doesn't being sexy make bad people want to hurt you?" Danielle asked.

"Of course you would think that." Becca said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clementine asked offended by that.

"You two got a raw deal in life, so you both expect everyone to hurt you." Becca said. "Besides those guys who hurt you are crazy. There's nothing sexy about little kids."

"I expect people to hurt me, because some people are awful." Danielle said.

"If you hate people because you were hurt in the past, you'll be more frightened of getting hurt in the future." Becca said.

"I don't hate anyone, but I'm scared of bad people." Sarah said.

"Hating and not trusting are different things..." Danielle said. "I don't trust most people."

"Me either. In this world people will hurt anyone." Gill said.

"They'll hurt you more if you expect to be hurt." Becca said.

"Why would people want to be sexy for a guy?" Clementine suddenly asked.

"Because if you like someone, you want to look good for them. It's called dressed to impress." Becca said.

"Don't listen to her, Clem. A guy should like you for you." Gill said.

"You guys are just too young to understand. You'll get it when you're older." Becca shrugged.

Clementine hummed at that.

* * *

When Kenny went to pick up Clementine and Danielle from school the next day, he was surprised to see little Clementine had a face full of makeup. "What the hell is on your face?"

"Makeup. I wanted to look more grown-up." Clementine said nonchalantly. "Maybe now people will stop calling me a kid."

"Alright... We need to clean that up before Christa sees you." Kenny said.

Clementine's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No way... I just got it done."

"Who put that on you?" Kenny asked.

"Becca. She said she learned how from her sister." Clementine said. "Even though she said she wouldn't wear it herself."

"Where did you even get that stuff?" Kenny asked.

"Does it matter?" Clementine asked.

"Yes, kid. It does matter." Kenny said.

When the young girl didn't respond Kenny looked to her friend, "Danielle...?"

"She... traded away her food pass." Danielle said after a moment of hesitation.

Kenny sighed at that. "Clem... You're gonna go inside and wash that shit off your face. Then you're gonna go straight to your room and we're gonna talk."

"But-"

"No buts... Christa's gonna flip out if she sees that all over your face." Kenny said.

Clementine pouted at that.

"Let's go..." Kenny said.

* * *

The second they walked in the house, both Christa and Sarita were shocked to see Clementine's new look.

"Clementine, are you wearing makeup?" Sarita asked the girl.

"I..." Clementine trailed off, shifting uncomfortably.

Scrutinizing her outfit, Christa furrowed her brows- the girl's jacket was undone; jeans cut. "And what's with that outfit. Rip jeans? I don't recall you wearing that this morning."

The child's face warmed. "I cut them up."

"What the hell are you doing dressed like that?" Christa inquired.

"I just wanted to look nice." Clementine said.

"For who?" Sarita asked.

"If you think you're allowed to go out dressed like that, you're out of your damn mind." Christa said.

"Ladies, calm down. I'm handling it." Kenny spoke up as he urged the child to the bathroom.

Still pouting Clementine huffed. "I want to play with Dani."

"We need to talk first. Go on." Kenny said in a strict tone.

The child obliged.

"I got this one." Kenny said to the women before going to chat with Clementine.

Christa and Sarita exchanged looks.

"Would you like to play with AJ, Danielle?" Sarita asked.

"Yes please." Danielle said. She went to play with the babbling toddler while waiting for her friend.

* * *

"I never wanna see you dressed in an outfit like that again." Kenny said. "What's going on with you, Clem?"

"Nothing..."

"Something is going on. You've been so..." Kenny paused, thinking on the word.

"Different?" Clementine finished for him. "Everything's been different."

"Clementine...this is... this is where we are now." Kenny said. "What made you wanna wear that shit...?"

"The older girls wear it so I thought I should too... I made a trade of my lunch for the day." Clementine explained.

"Clem..." Kenny shook his head. "If you bring that crap here I'm throwing it all away."

"W-Why? It's mine!" Clementine argued.

"You're a little kid. You don't need to be acting like those older girls." Kenny said.

Clementine bit her lip, not responding.

"Are you doing this to impress some boy?" Kenny asked.

Clementine shrugged. "I don't know."

"Clem, look at me...If someone likes you, they'll like you no matter what you wear. And they won't care if you have makeup on." Kenny said. "Don't grow up too fast, kid."

Clementine felt like she had heard his last statement a bit too late.

* * *

The next morning, a doctor had come by to do his regular checkups on Clementine, AJ, and the twins. Clementine was happy to hear that Aleena was doing better with breathing on her own and didn't need to use her oxygen tank as regularly.

"How are you doing, Clementine?" The doctor asked.

"I'm okay…" Clementine said.

"That's good. Have you been eating right?" The doctor questioned.

Clementine shrugged in response.

"She hasn't been eating much, but it's been better than nothing…" Christa said.

"Well, from what I've observed she's been doing great with her therapy." The doctor said. "And I think that she's been doing well with her weight…"

"Not good enough…" Clementine pouted.

"You lost a lot of weight already. The pregnancy added about forty pounds to your body. But because walking with crutches is more difficult than basic walking, it actually provides a cardio workout, which is why you have been rapidly losing weight." The doctor said.

"That's a good thing, right?" Clementine asked.

"It's not a bad thing but…"

"We don't want you to be underweight." Christa finished.

"She's right. It's important that you maintain a proper weight, or you could get very sick." The doctor spoke. "If you eat the wrong thing you could get sick, if you don't eat enough you could get sick. You have to look after your body…"

"Especially, since you have two little ones relying on you…" Christa said.

"I just want to be stronger. I feel gross and weak…" Clementine said.

"You're not gross or weak at all." Christa said.

"The issue isn't that you're weak. You gave birth at a young age. Most likely your inability to walk properly came from nerve damage and the coccyx injury. But your progression has been amazing." The doctor said.

"Maybe I'm doing better…" Clementine said. "But school stresses me out."

"Why is that?" Christa asked.

"Because I hate it. I hate almost everyone there." Clementine said.

"Clementine." Christa gasped.

"What? You always say I should be honest." The girl innocently said.

Christa rolled her eyes at the child's response. Sometimes the girl was too honest.

"Well, I don't know how to fix your feelings towards school, but I do think this will raise your spirits," The doctor said. "I think soon we can have you transition from your crutches to a walking stick and see how you feel." The doctor suggested.

Clementine brightened at that. "Really?"

"Really." The doctor said.

"That'll be great!" Clementine said.

"Next time I see you then." The doctor said. "Keep practicing your walking but try not to overexert yourself."

Clementine nodded, "Okay."

* * *

Due to past attacks, it became necessary that they had drills. The siren warnings and guard warnings allowed them to get the heads-up during an attack.

To the kids it was a game of being brave. Seeing young children carrying a weapon to school became as natural as carrying a backpack.

Raid drills were the new fire drills. No one protested. They all knew the practice and drills could save their lives. School times were governed by raids. They could not leave if a raid was happening. The second they heard a warning they were to find shelter immediately.

Their days of being comfortable seemed to drastically be changing with the limited rations. Most of the older kids had been recruited to work.

As it got dark early in the wintertime, they had to make use of what daylight they had to hunt. The window of daylight also allowed them the chance to practice shooting. At night the lights were to be cut out. No candles. No light. Guards patrolled at night and would blow a whistle or bang on the door of any offending house.

Wellington was frequently becoming disorderly and violent. Criminal behavior by civilians and soldiers alike was becoming more and more common. People supplemented their rations with thievery. Sometimes riots broke out in the middle of town. The rations were low and often times the food often rotted before it reached the people. People obviously weren't happy with the situation. Wellington had gone from peaceful to chaos.

Children went to school to get free meals. However, school wasn't what one would expect it to be. The teacher would go over math, reading, regular things one would expect to learn but it would be brief. The main focus for their lessons was survival. And from there they would move on to first aid training and gun practice. They learned to hunt and fish. They learned to gather water. They learned how to prepare skins and furs and make clothing. How to skin an animal and cut up meat. How to make thread and needles from the sinew and bone. They learned materials weren't to be taken for granted.

After school they would be assigned their day task to earn their rations. Pressure was put on families to send children to the school. If they refused, they would be forced to leave town. If they didn't work, they received only half rations. The cost to get Aleena's medication meant Clementine had no choice but to go to school.

Wellington, the town that had focused so much on building a normal society had taken a quick one-eighty. Everyone now needed to be able to fend for themselves. And the leaders had no problem getting rid of the liabilities if they had to.

There was no way to escape the situation and Clementine hated it.

Her assigned day task for once was lookout duty. Fortunately, she wasn't alone.

"How are you holding up, kid?" Terrell asked.

"Okay. I don't like the school…" Clementine said. "But they're making me go…"

"Why don't you like it?" Terrell asked.

"The kids are mean. The teacher's mean. She's always blaming me for stuff." Clementine said.

"Like what?"

"Everything…" Clementine groaned.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating." Terrell said.

Clementine rolled her eyes. "I am not."

Terrell just chuckled.

"How come you don't go to school?" Clementine asked.

"No point." Terrell replied.

"What do you mean?" Clementine asked.

"Ain't nothing for me to learn. Nothing useful anyway." Terrell said.

"Oh…"

"You know, if you ever don't feel like sitting in that crappy classroom, you can feel free to come find me." Terrell offered.

"Really?"

"Sure. In fact, come back tonight if you want. I don't mind your company." Terrell said.

Clementine couldn't help but blush a bit. "I'll consider your offer… Thank you…"

* * *

It was early in the morning, too early for this.

"Clementine? Clementine!"

Christa frenetically walked through the house, opening and closing doors. "Clementine, come out! Stop playing!"

Nothing.

Becca snorted, "She's just playing hide and seek. It's no big deal."

"It is a big deal! I don't know where she is…" Christa said. "Sarah, go get Kenny. I'm worried."

Sarah nodded and ran to Kenny's room to alert him.

"She's been doing this a lot recently…" Sarita said with a worried tone. "And the twins are fast asleep in her room. So where could she be…?"

"I don't know, but it's too early for this." Christa said. "Clementine, where are you?!"

Before long, Kenny entered the room, looking tired. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find Clem." Christa said.

"Again?" Kenny sighed.

Christa shot him a look. "Yes, again."

"Well, we know she's around the house somewhere." Kenny said. "She's just playing hide and seek to avoid school."

The adults continued looking for the young girl and after several minutes, and a lot of urging, the front door suddenly opened and in walked Clementine.

"There you are! What were you doing out there?!" Christa asked. "We were worried sick."

Clementine had hidden before, leaving them in a panic, but her being outside was a first.

"I was with my friend." Clementine said.

"What friend?" Christa inquired.

"My friend…" Clementine simply repeated.

"You're not allowed to leave without our permission, Clementine." Christa said. "Especially not alone!"

"I wasn't alone, I was with my friend! And Promise was with me too." She motioned to the bear.

Christa groaned at that. "It's not safe to be without an adult. If you wander off again, you'll be in big trouble."

"Aren't I always in trouble?" Clementine replied.

"Look, just go get ready for school." Christa said.

"I don't want to go to school. I have a stomach-ache." Clementine said. "And I have to check on my girls."

Christa didn't listen to her. "You're going."

"I want to stay here and play with Promise." Clementine said, clutching to her bear.

Christa, feeling exasperated, yanked the toy from the child's hands. "You're going to school. Edith will pick you and Dani up in the afternoon and bring you home. Then you can play with Promise all you want, as long as you were good."

"But-"

"No buts. You'll get dressed, then you'll take your medicine and go to school." Christa said.

Clementine lowered her gaze. She really didn't want to go.

"And you will behave. Which means no fighting…" Christa added, causing the child to frown.

"But they'll pick on me!" Clementine exclaimed.

"This is crazy. I don't know who the hell those kids think they are, but it doesn't matter. She's gotta fight back." Kenny said.

"Kenny, you shouldn't encourage her to cause violence." Sarita said.

"She ain't causing it. She's defending herself." Kenny said.

"Still. She could get hurt…" Sarita said.

"She already got hurt. She comes home every other day with bruises." Kenny turned back to Clementine. "Ain't nothing wrong with protecting yourself, darlin."

"She shouldn't be fighting." Christa sighed.

"If they wanna pick a fight, she has every right to defend herself." Kenny argued.

"I don't disagree with that… But she shouldn't be fighting just to fight." Christa said.

"If someone wants to fight, then she should fight back." Kenny said. "Next time a little boy hits you, you hit him in the jewels."

Sarita flinched at that. "Kenny, stop. Don't tell her that."

"Why not? Those kids shouldn't be putting their hands on her. She's a little kid. Her and Danielle are practically the youngest in the class. She ain't gonna keep coming home covered in bruises." Kenny said. "If a little boy hits you again, hit him right there."

"Kenny, stop it!" Sarita scolded.

"Better her hit him than me!" Kenny said. "I have no problem making those kids leave her alone."

Christa just shook her head at Kenny's words, not bothering to reply. She looked back to Clementine. "Come on, go get dressed."

"…Okay…" The girl reluctantly said.

After several minutes, Christa went to check on the young girl in her room, bringing her medicine with her.

Clementine was playing with her twins, who were happily cooing.

"Come on, Clem, you're gonna be late."

"I don't want to."

"Clem, you know you have to." Christa said.

Clementine didn't respond.

Christa held back a sigh.

"Here, take your medicine." Christa said as she offered the girl her pills.

"Do I have to?" Clementine groaned, scrunching her nose.

"Yes, you do. It's not that bad." Christa said, still holding her hand out for the young girl to take the pills.

"It is…. I hate it." Clementine said.

"Well, set a good example for your girls. You take this and then you help Aleena with her medicine." Christa said.

Clementine frowned but gave in. She took the medicine without any further protest.

"Show me." Christa urged.

Clementine held back a sigh, as she opened her mouth to show she wasn't hiding the pills.

"Alright, that's my girl." Christa said.

"Can I please stay home today?" Clementine asked.

"I don't think so. You can't miss school for nothing." Christa said.

"I don't want to leave the girls. Let them come with me." Clementine said. "I'll watch them."

"Clem, you know they can't." Christa sighed.

"Why not?"

"They'll distract the class." Christa said.

"Nu-uh. They don't cry much… I can keep them calm." Clementine said.

"Well, it's not safe to bring them there. Especially with how those kids treat you." Christa said. "Tell you what, if you're good in school today, maybe we can take the twins to the park later."

"Really?" Clementine asked.

"Really."

"Okay, deal." Clementine said.

* * *

Throughout the school day Clementine kept to herself, however when she heard Danielle telling one child to "give Flopsie back" she didn't waste time going to her friend's aid.

"Give her Flopsie back." Clementine ordered.

"Or what? What are you gonna do about it, little cripple?" The older girl, Kaysey teased.

"I won't tell you again." Clementine kept a cold tone, removing her crutches and letting them fall to the floor. "Give her back."

"Make me." Kasey said with a smirk, her friends laughing.

Clementine wasted no time, balling her fist and delivering a hard punch to the older girl's face.

The older girl was shocked but shoved the small child to the floor.

"Clementine and Kaysey, knock it off!" Miss Staton exclaimed with a gasp.

"She started it!" Clementine exclaimed.

"You need to learn to keep your hands to yourself! Come here now!" Miss Staton said.

The young girl stood and reached for her crutches only for Kaysey to kick them from her reach.

"Come here, Clementine." Miss Staton repeated, sounding impatient.

Clementine huffed and started towards her crutches. As she did a boy held his foot out, tripping her.

The child's face turned red in embarrassment. Gill frowned and offered her his hand which she took. For a moment, he thought his friend might start to cry. However, the child promptly walked over to the boy who had pushed her and delivered a hard kick right to his crotch, sending the other child writhing on the ground.

"Clementine!" Miss Staton snapped rushing over to the young boy's aid.

"What?!" Clementine asked back, narrowing her eyes at the teacher.

"Why would you do something like that?!" Miss Staton inquired.

"He deserved it!" Clementine said.

"Wait until Christa hears about this!" Miss Staton said.

"He started it." Clementine said. "And I'll kick him again."

The boy flinched at that.

The teacher helped him up before shooting little Clementine a look. "You're in big trouble."

The twelve-year-old simply shrugged in response. "Aren't I always?"

* * *

When Clementine returned home that day, she handed Christa the note from her teacher without a word.

"What'd you do this time?"

Clementine didn't respond. The child made her way over to the twins and started making silly faces at them. "Did you girls miss mommy?"

The twins cooed happily, and the girl smiled.

Christa sighed and started to read the note. "Another fight?"

Clementine continued playing with the twins.

"That's the third one this week." Christa huffed.

The girl still said nothing to her guardian as she kissed her children's cheeks and snuggled them.

"And your teacher wants to have a meeting…" Christa said as she continued to look over the note. "…Did your teacher let you come home early? Or did you sneak out of class again?"

Clementine frowned. "I didn't sneak… I walked out…"

Christa sighed. "Clem, you promised not to leave without letting someone know first."

Clementine kept quiet as she continued cuddling her children.

"Clementine, I'm talking to you." Christa said.

"I did… I told Gill." Clementine huffed.

"You know what I mean. You're supposed to tell a grown up. No wandering off." Christa said.

"I know…I know…." Clementine shrugged. "Can my friends come over?"

Christa wore a look of disbelief at the girl's nonchalant question,"Can your- Clem, you were in another fight today. We've talked about this."

"They started it." The child pouted. "I promised Gill and Danielle that I would play today…"

"It says here that you started the fight." Christa said, ignoring the child's comment about playing.

"That's not true!" Clementine said.

"Clementine hit a young girl in the face, then walked over to another student and proceeded to kick him in the groin, unprovoked." Christa read aloud. "Is that true?"

"No… I punched Kaysey because she deserved it, and I kicked Hunter, but it wasn't unprovoked!" Clementine said.

"Why would your teacher lie about that?" Christa questioned.

"Because she's a bitch." Clementine flatpanned.

"Hey, watch the language." Christa said.

"Promise was there, he saw the whole thing, and he can tell you what happened." Clementine said.

"I don't want Promise to tell me what happened. I want to hear it from you." Christa replied.

"Kaysey took Dani's bunny and I told her to give it back, but she wouldn't. So, I punched her." Clementine said. "And Hunter tripped me… So, I kicked him. I kicked him in the "jewels" like Kenny told me to."

"What do you think I should do about this, Clem?" Christa asked.

"I think you should believe me and not that lying whore." Clementine responded.

"Excuse you! Do not talk like that!" Christa lectured the child.

"I'm not the liar! She is!" Clementine exclaimed.

"Enough!" Christa ran her hands through her hair, feeling frustrated. "After supper you go straight to bed."

"I'm not hungry anyway. I'll go to bed once my girls are in bed." Clementine stated.

"Fine. Don't eat." Christa muttered.

Clementine didn't say a word, she instead turned her attention to the twins.

* * *

The next day things were quiet. Too quiet for Clementine's liking. To help with the girl's anxiety, Christa suggested she bring Promise again for the day. Now at shooting practice, the girl had zone out, clutching to her bear. However, things quickly changed from quiet, with the teacher's attention elsewhere the bullies had time to pick with her.

"Clementine!"

The child turned just as a familiar little boy threw a punch in her direction. His fist collided with her cheek. "That's for kicking me."

He had hit her right in the face. Clementine was surprised from the sudden blow. She put her hand to her face and felt blood. She could hear laughter from the boy's friends.

The young girl tried to struggle to her feet but found herself restrained by the boy's friends as he continued to hit her.

The girl felt short of blacking out when she heard a voice exclaim, "Leave her alone!"

"Beat it, loser." Hunter said.

"I won't. Just leave her alone." Gill said.

"Or what?" Hunter asked in a teasing tone.

Gill didn't have a reply to that. He did his best to glare at the boy, though he was scared.

The boy however took a threatening step towards Gill.

"That's enough, Hunter! Leave her the hell alone." Becca snapped.

"Not you too…" Hunter groaned. "I thought you said she was annoying."

"That doesn't mean I'm gonna let you beat her up." Becca said.

"She likes fighting." Hunter said, looking back to the young girl. "Don't you, Clemmy?"

"Leave her alone!" Danielle ordered, aiming her gun to Hunter's direction.

"Woah, what the fuck…?" Hunter froze.

"Leave my friend alone." Danielle said.

"Danielle, lower that gun, right now!" Miss Staton snapped.

"B-But I..."

"No buts!" The teacher stormed over, yanking the gun from young Danielle's grip. "I've had enough of this…"

"Clem needs a doctor…" Sarah said.

The teacher ignored her, not even batting an eye. "Come along, class. Let's get back to the classroom."

"Did you not see what just happened? She needs help!" Becca spat at her.

"What I saw, was Clementine once again disrupting my class. Maybe this will teach her a lesson." Miss Staton simply said before walking off with the older kids following. Hunter also walked off, holding Clementine's stuffed animal.

"Damn cowards." Becca scoffed "Are you okay, Clem?"

Gill offered Clementine a hand.

Clementine huffed accepting the help to her feet. "He took Promise! I… I have to save him."

"Clem, no… We gotta get you to the doctor." Gill said.

"But what about Promise?" Clementine asked.

"Promise is a toy..." Sarah said. "You're hurt, Clem..."

"No he's not, he's not a toy! He's my friend." Clementine said.

"Promise can handle himself... You need a doctor..." Danielle said.

"N-No… Christa will be mad at me." Clementine said. "She doesn't want me fighting…"

"Christa won't be mad, Clem." Sarah said.

"Yes, she will! She'll think I'm naughty." Clementine panicked.

"…Then…Then at least let my mom help you…" Gill said.

"Okay…" Clementine said.

Gill took his friend's hand and led her towards his home.

* * *

After getting treated by Patricia, the woman offered to walk the kids home. However, Gill quickly assured her they would be okay, and he would take his friends home.

Their walk was interrupted as they spotted Hunter holding Clementine's teddy bear in his hands. "Forget something?"

Clementine frowned and spoke, "Give him back."

"I don't think I will. Why don't you take him from me?" Hunter taunted.

"This isn't funny, man. Just give him back." Becca said.

"Stay out of this." The boy said. "If she wants the bear back, she can come get it herself."

"Give him back now! Give him back!" Clementine exclaimed.

Without hesitation he tore a leg off the bear and smirked, "Oops."

Clementine's eyes widened. "N-No! No! Why would you do that?!"

"It's just a stupid toy. Get over it." Hunter laughed.

"You're such a jerk." Gill said as he went over and picked up the bear. He expected his friend to start whimpering but she wasn't.

The boy turned to walk away, laughing with his friends.

Without a word the girl dropped her crutches and walked after the boy, drawing a knife from her pocket as she approached him, she kicked him in the back of the knee. The boy fell to the ground and Clementine quickly grabbed his hair, holding the knife to his neck.

"If you ever put your hands on me or Promise again. I'll kill you!"

The boy was shaking like a leaf, looking ready to piss his pants. He quickly nodded and Clementine released him. Frightened, the boy scampered away, his friends quickly following.

Danielle and Gill's eyes were wide from what they just witnessed. Sarah was shaking a bit, and Becca had a smirk on her face.

"You're a total badass, Clem." Becca said.

Gill grabbed his friend's crutches, while Clementine picked up her torn teddy bear. "L-Let's get to your house." He stammered as he handed her the crutches.

The girls nodded.

* * *

When the door practically slammed open, Christa was surprised. She looked to see Clementine wearing a panicked expression. The child stepped in clearly injured, Sarah, Becca, Gill, and Danielle weren't far behind her.

"Oh my gosh, Clem! Are you okay?" Christa quickly got up to check the child's injuries.

"Emergency surgery!" Clementine said.

"Clem? What-"

"Emergency surgery!" The girl exclaimed again. "He needs emergency surgery!"

"Who?!" Christa asked, on the verge of panicking.

"P-Promise!" Clementine started searching for the sowing kit.

"Hold on, Clem. What happened?" Christa asked.

"Hunter ripped his leg off!" Clementine said, looking ready to cry.

"I'll fix him, Clem. I'll fix him…. Just go… take care of the twins. Okay?"

"Okay…" Clementine sniffled before going to her room.

Christa turned to the other kids and asked, "What happened today?"

"Kids were picking on her." Sarah said. "They were hitting her for no reason…"

"She was in another fight today?" Christa asked.

Gill gave a small nod. "It wasn't just a fight. They tried to jump her…"

"Oh my god…" Christa said.

"They attacked her… She didn't do anything wrong." Danielle said.

"My mom patched her up…But then…" Gill trailed off.

"But then what? What happened?" Christa asked.

"On the way here, she pulled a knife on them…" Gill said. "It was scary."

"I…I'm sorry you had to see that, Gill…" Christa sighed.

"The teacher saw the whole thing; she didn't even stop it. I swear that woman's a bitch." Becca grumbled.

"Clementine thinks the same thing…" Christa said. She looked to Gill and Danielle. "I'd let you two stay, but I don't think Clementine's up for playing today… Plus, you two gotta get home before curfew."

Gill gave a nod. "Okay… Will Clementine be okay?"

"She'll be fine. I'll talk to her." Christa said. "I'm gonna ask Kenny to walk you and Danielle home before your mom starts to worry about you."

"Okay…"

* * *

"We need to talk." Christa entered Clementine's room with the child's now sewn up teddy bear.

"I don't want to." Clementine said. "You're going to be mad at me."

"I don't care what you want." Christa placed the bear on the bed. "We're going to talk."

Clementine huffed, crossing her arms.

"Did you pull a knife on another child?" Christa asked, straight to the point.

Clementine looked surprised, almost as if she hadn't expected her guardian to find out. "Who told you?"

"Gill told me. So, the answer must be yes then?" Christa said,

"He deserved it." Clementine said coldly.

"You can't do things like that…" Christa knelt to her level, "You can't do things that will make the teacher or the guards, or anyone talk bad about you. If you do, you're screwed… We're all screwed…"

"I didn't do anything wrong… You and Kenny told me to defend myself." Clementine said.

"You have every right to defend yourself. But that's not the way. You can't pull a knife on another child. If one of those guards saw you doing something like that, they would've shot you on the spot." Christa said. "Don't put yourself in danger."

"He took Promise! He deserved it!" Clementine said. "I don't regret it either."

"They're gonna kick us out, Clem!" Christa said.

"Then let them!"

"Clementine, enough! I'm fed up with this, you need to listen to me for once!"

"I've been listening! When are _you_ going to listen to me?" Clementine retorted.

Christa rubbed at her temples and sighed wearily. "I don't know what to do with you… I really don't… I'm getting sick and tired of all this fighting."

"I didn't start the fight, Christa. I finished it."

"I don't care! It doesn't matter if you started it or not!" Christa snapped before calming her tone as the twins whimpered a bit. "We want the very best for you. Wellington is not like it was when we first got here. If things don't change, they're gonna kick us all to the curb. You need to straighten up."

* * *

Hours had passed since Clementine's talk with Christa. With everyone asleep, the girl decided to take a walk. She made it to the front gate of Wellington and simply stood there mired in deep and muddy thought.

"Kid, what are you doing out here?" Terrell's voice pulled her out of her thoughts from the look out.

"Figured you were on watch… I needed some air… To think…" Clementine said.

"Think about what?" Terrell asked.

"About leaving." Clementine admitted with a sigh.

"Leaving where?" Terrell asked.

"I don't know. I'll figure it out." Clementine said.

"Come on, don't be stupid." Terrell said.

"I'm not stupid!" Clementine snapped. "Don't call me stupid."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, kiddo. Why don't you come up here with me?" Terrell asked.

Clementine hesitated for a moment than said, "Okay…"

Terrell waited a while for the girl to come up. "…I don't want you to leave, Clem. No one does."

"Why shouldn't I, if they're gonna kick us out anyway?" Clementine scoffed.

"Kick you out? Why would they do that?" Terrell asked.

"Christa told me they will. Because I get into a lot of fights. Everything's bad for me, but no one really cares." Clementine said.

"I care." Terrell said. "What's bothering you?"

"The kids… They… pick with me a lot… I don't know why?" Clementine replied.

"Fuck them. They don't know nothing about you…" Terrell said.

"I know… It still sucks though…" Clementine muttered.

"I'm sure…" Terrell said. "...Are you feeling okay, your cheeks are flushed."

Clementine felt her face flushed more. Had she been blushing because of him?

She soon felt his hand on her forehead. "You're pretty warm too."

"It's nothing…. I get stress fevers a lot… My medicine usually helps lower them. It's nothing to worry about, it'll go away with some rest." Clementine explained.

"When do you rest?" Terrell asked.

"Huh?"

"Well, you have two kids and they've been working the whole town to the bone." Terrell said.

"I know… They work everyone to the bone… But I do really miss my kids sometimes. They're growing up so fast." Clementine said.

"Shouldn't you be at home with them then?" Terrell asked.

"They're fast asleep… I don't leave unless I check on them first." Clementine said.

"How old are they?"

"Technically they're about eight months, but their adjusted to five and a half." Clementine answered.

"Preemies, right?"

"Yeah." Clementine said. "I wish you could meet them, but Christa…"

"Hey, I get it. Your people don't trust me." Terrell said.

"That's not it… Christa just doesn't think they should be out of the house much." Clementine said.

"Sure, sure…" Terrell said.

Clementine sighed.

"How about I take you home so you can rest." Terrell suggested.

Clementine shook her head. "I don't wanna go home just yet…"

"Well, then maybe you could take a nap with me." Terrell said, with a small smile.

"W-With you?" Clementine asked.

"I got lookout duty, and I don't mind the company." Terrell said. "You need rest. Plus, naps are good for little kids."

Clementine shot him a look, "Not funny."

"Well, what are you a woman?" Terrell chuckled.

"Yes."

"Right." Terrell scoffed."

"He made me one." Clementine said bluntly.

"The guy who raped you?" Terrell asked, smile falling.

"Yeah…Carver…" Clementine said.

"I'm sorry, kid."

Clementine just kept quiet, lowering her gaze.

"Look, you can still take that nap if you need it." Terrell said.

"But that wouldn't be fair to you." Clementine protested.

"Don't worry about me." Terrell said.

"But-"

"You're so stubborn. Just rest." Terrell said.

"…O-Okay…"

* * *

It had probably been less than a half hour before Clementine stirred awake, she could hear Terrell talking to someone.

"I know what I said… But it's best to wait… Just a little longer…" Terrell muttered.

"T?" The girl called groggily.

The boy jumped, startled to find her awake.

"Who were you talking to?" Clementine asked.

"No one… It's nothing for you to worry about." Terrell said.

"…Oh…"

"Your people are gonna be worried about you." Terrell changed the subject. "We should get you home before they find out you're gone."

"Alright… Thanks for listening to me vent earlier…" Clementine said.

"Anytime.

* * *

"Time to get up, sleepy head."

Clementine groaned as Christa pulled the blinds open.

"Come on, Clem. Wake up…" Christa spoke.

Clementine sighed and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I'm sleepy…"

"I know you're tired, but you have school." Christa said.

"I want to stay home with you… I want to stay here and play with my girls and AJ." Clementine said.

"Nice try, but it's not gonna work…" Christa said.

"But the girls… They'll miss me. And I'll miss them." Clementine said.

"Only for a few hours." Christa said.

Clementine pouted. She picked up her stuffed bear. "Oh no..."

"What's wrong?"

"Promise has a fever…" Clementine said. "I don't think he can go to school…"

Christa held back a smile at that. "Well, Promise can always stay home with me."

"I… think I have a fever too." Clementine said.

Christa walked over to the child and took a seat on her bed. She felt her forehead, the girl was a bit warm, but it was normal with her. To amuse her she felt the teddy bear's head as well. "You two feel fine to me."

"I'm not fine…." Clementine said.

"…What's the matter, Clem?" Christa asked.

"Well… My throat's sore…and my head hurts, and-"

Christa interrupted her, "No… I mean why don't you want to go to school."

"…I don't like it." Clementine simply said.

"Why not?"

Clementine frowned not responding.

"Talk to me, Clem. I can't help you if you don't talk to me." Christa urged.

"I miss my girls. And it makes me sad…" Clementine responded.

"School makes you sad?"

"Yes! Why do we have to pretend everything's back to normal? It's not!" Clementine suddenly exclaimed.

"Clem…"

"It's not even a real school. It's stupid that we have to go there." Clementine said.

"Clementine,"

"And she's means, she thinks I'm dumb!" The girl continued.

"Who thinks you're dumb?" Christa asked the girl.

"Miss Satan…" Clementine muttered.

"Miss what?" Christa asked.

"I said Miss Staton…" Clementine said.

"Your teacher? Did she say that? Did she call you dumb?" Christa inquired.

"No… She just acts like it." Clementine answered.

"She doesn't think you're dumb…" Christa said. "Want me to talk to her?"

"Why? So, everyone can bully me more?" Clementine said in a sarcastic tone.

"Alright... Clem, you don't give her the easiest time…" Christa said.

"Because she's mean…" Clementine replied.

"All the fighting and wandering off...Sometimes we don't even know where you were the whole school day…" Christa said.

"Sometimes I want to be alone…" Clementine said.

"You can't just wander off. Something bad could happen…" Christa said.

"Nothing happens. I just go hang out with Terrell…" Clementine said.

"Terrell?"

"He's my friend…" Clementine said.

"Clem, it doesn't matter who you want to hang out with. You need to make sure an adult knows where you are at all times." Christa said.

"Okay… I will…" Clementine said. "Can I please stay home today? I don't want to deal with anyone at school…"

Christa was silent for a moment before sighing, "Alright…"

"I can?"

"Considering what happened yesterday, you could probably use a day off. Spend some time with your girls." Christa gave in.

Clementine beamed at that.

Christa decided she needed to have a talk with the teacher.

* * *

Walking in just as school had ended, Christa did her best to keep calm as she went to talk to the teacher. "You wanted to have a meeting, we're gonna have one now. Why did my kid come home covered in blood and bruises the other day?"

"You are aware that Clementine gets into a lot of fights. Yes?" Miss Staton said.

"Very aware." Christa said. "I'm aware that she's constantly getting picked on and fighting to defend herself."

"Kids will be kids. The older ones joke around and play rough a lot. Clementine doesn't know how to handle that." Miss Staton said, brushing Christa's concerns off.

Annoyed, Christa asked, "What do you have against my girl?"

"What?"

"Why do you treat my girl how you do?" Christa demanded.

"I'm not treating your girl wrong. Your girl has problems." Miss Staton said. "You need to get your kid under control."

"My kid comes home everyday and tells me about how she was picked on! You're letting my girl get bullied!" Christa snapped.

"I'll admit it's hard to be completely attentive to all my students when there's so much going on. But I'll have a talk with the kids who are picking on her." Miss Staton said.

"Something better change soon." Christa said.

"I'll speak to my older students about their behavior, now if you'll excuse me. I'd like to head home before curfew." Miss Staton said, motioning towards the door for Christa to leave.

Christa glared at the woman but walked off.

* * *

" _I talked to your teacher," Christa had informed Clementine._

 _"You did?" Clementine asked._

 _"I did, about the bullying... You shouldn't have to worry about it anymore..." Christa said._

Clementine didn't know what to think of the woman's words.

She wanted to believe that. But when she stepped into the classroom, she was suddenly grabbed by Kaysey. Clementine tried to struggle from her grip.

"Did you send your mommy up here to tattle on us?" Kaysey questioned.

"My... My mommy is dead." Clementine grunted.

"Well you sent someone to talk to the teacher." Kaysey said.

"I... I didn't send anyone! Let me go!" Clementine exclaimed.

"Let me get something straight. Bad things happen to tattletales. You don't want to be one…" Kaysey threatened.

Clementine felt her heart skip a beat at the threat. "I never said anything, Kaysey. I promise…"

"Good." The girl released her grip and Clementine wasted no time storming off.

She would have been astonished if her classmates had changed their behavior toward her.

It would stop when she was dead.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Christa questioned as soon as Clementine got home.

"Relax, Christa. I had lookout duty." Clementine fibbed.

"Lookout duty?" Christa asked.

"To earn my rations." Clementine stated.

"Alone? They put a child, who needs crutches to walk, on lookout alone?" Christa asked, clearly not buying it.

"I wasn't alone. Relax." Clementine said.

"Who were you with?" Christa asked.

Clementine didn't response.

"You ditched school today, after we talked about your wandering off." Christa said.

"I didn't ditch." Clementine said.

"Your teacher radioed me." Christa informed the child.

"My teacher hates me." Clementine said.

"She does not, Clem." Christa said.

"Yes, she does!" Clementine said.

"You're not supposed to wander off. You can't just leave without permission." Christa said.

"I left for a reason. I don't see what the big deal is." Clementine said.

"The big deal is that we had no clue where you've been disappearing to." Christa said.

"I told you I was on lookout duty-"

"…You were with that boy, weren't you?"

"Terrell's my friend." Clementine said.

"He's not. You can't ditch school to just hang out with him." Christa said.

"I left for a reason." Clementine said. "I wasn't even with Terrell… I couldn't find him."

"What reason did you leave?"

"People are always being mean to me. Plus, Terrell says school is pointless anyway." Clementine said.

Christa shook her head that that, "That boy is a bad influence on you."

"He's my friend, Christa." Clementine said. "You always boss me around."

"Someone has to. You're a child." Christa said. "You need to stay away from that boy."

"But why? He's nice to me!" Clementine protested.

"And he also encourages you to do bad things."

"He does not. I do bad things because I'm naughty! I do naughty things on my own!" Clementine said.

"Clem…" Christa sighed. "You're not naughty."

"YES, I AM!" Clementine exclaimed.

Christa didn't say a word as the girl headed to her room. She knew Clementine was prone to having outburst and figured it would be best to let the child cool off for a bit.

* * *

A while had passed before Christa knocked on the girl's bedroom door. "Can I come in…"

"…Okay…"

Christa entered the room and gave a small smile when she noticed Clementine was gently rocking little Crystal.

"Can we talk?" Christa asked.

"About…?" Clementine questioned back, not looking up from the baby in her arms.

"I wasn't trying to upset you, Clem…"

"I know…" Clementine said. "You're just trying to keep me away from my friend…."

"Clem… That boy isn't your friend." Christa sighed.

"He is too." Clementine said.

"Look, can you be honest with me… and tell me why you don't want to go to school." Christa spoke in a calm tone.

"I never wanted to go in the first place." Clementine said. "I told you that. I want to stay home with my girls."

"I know you do. But you know the rules. You have to go." Christa said.

"You asked me why, but it doesn't change anything. So why do you even care?" Clementine scoffed. She continued rocking Crystal as the baby cooed.

"I asked because I care about you. I want to help you." Christa said.

"Yeah right…"

"I do, Clem. Why are you acting this way?" Christa asked.

"Because no one cares." Clementine said. "So why should I?"

"What are you talking about?" Christa wondered.

"Everyone only cares about themselves." Clementine said.

"That's not true, Clementine. Stop being so negative."

"How can I? I'm always getting in trouble for nothing."

"You get in trouble for acting out." Christa said.

"I don't care. I don't want to talk about this…" Clementine frowned.

"Well, we need to have this talk, Clem. Something's really bothering you. Tell me what it is." Christa practically pleaded.

"No one ever cares how I feel." Clementine glumly replied.

"Of course we do, Clem. Trust me we do." Christa said. "I spoke to your teacher to make things better for you."

"You spoke to the teacher and made things worse! She doesn't give a damn what happens to me! She lets them pick on me because she hates me!" Clementine exclaimed causing Crystal to whimper. Clementine quickly comforted her baby, soothing her cries. "I don't want to talk anymore."

"How can I help you if you won't talk me?"

"What's the point?" Clementine mumbled. "I just want to rest…please…"

"Alright Clem… I'll let you get some sleep." Christa reluctantly said.

Clementine kept quiet, just rocking her daughter.

* * *

The next day Clementine decided she wouldn't speak at all at school. If she was quiet, how could she get in trouble? But on her first day of silence, the teacher asked her to stay after class.

The girl ignored her, trying to leave, much to the teacher's frustration.

Miss Staton quickly stopped the girl. "You'll stay. Until I tell you to leave." She said, blocking the young child's path. "Take a seat."

Clementine glared at her but did so.

As the school day ended Sarah and Becca tried to get her to allow Clementine to leave, however the woman refused telling them to send Christa to come get the child. The teens had no choice but to oblige.

* * *

School was out, but little Clementine hadn't returned home yet. When Sarah and Becca came home telling Christa they wouldn't let the girl leave, Christa quickly assumed the teacher of the school was holding the girl in order to have a meeting with her because of Clementine's constant fighting.

When she got into the room she froze.

The teacher sat with a guard, and a nurse, who Christa quickly recognized as the woman who had accused them of letting Clementine get abused.

"Where's Clementine?" Christa asked.

"She's fine… Don't worry about her…" Miss Staton replied.

"That doesn't answer my question. Where is my girl?" Christa asked in a firmer tone.

"Edith picked her and Danielle up." Miss Staton replied. "As usual."

"She didn't bring her home…" Christa said.

"I told her you and I had a meeting, and you would pick her up later… She said she'd let the girls have a playdate." Miss Staton said. "So, you don't have to worry about her."

Christa cleared her throat and spoke, "What is all this about?"

"We wanted to speak to you about Clementine." Miss Staton said.

Obviously, Christa thought. "What about her…?"

"Well… She's a smart kid… She's smarter than the other children. But… her behavior… It's out of control." Miss Staton said. "How does she act at home? What does she do at home? Does she eat well… and play?"

"Well… She's never been a big eater… She'll play sometimes… Mainly with her teddy bear…" Christa said.

"I've noticed that lately she doesn't participate during any lessons… And she's been very withdrawn." Miss Staton said.

"She's probably just tired… I can talk to her and-"

"That's not the only problem…" Miss Staton added. "The fighting… It's been consistent with her…"

"She's getting picked on. She's going to retaliate if people mess with her…" Christa said.

"I'm just wondering why she's so aggressive. It's like she has pent up anger inside her…" Miss Staton said. "I've also noticed she draws… a lot…"

"Well… She loves drawing… She always draws…" Christa nodded. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Her drawings aren't exactly… healthy drawings…" The nurse spoke up.

Christa paused for a moment. She remembers Luke voicing concerns to her about the things Clementine would sometimes draw. "What are you trying to say?"

Miss Staton silently showed her a piece of paper, followed by another then another.

"Children don't always draw logical things." Christa said.

"Take a closer look." Miss Staton said.

Christa did and felt her blood run cold. She could practically feel the tension in the drawings and the pain and anger emerging from the innocent lines.

"We're aware of what Clem went through… and drawings like this are usually made by children in precise circumstances." The nurse said. "Children's drawings are never just drawings. Drawings are their communication bridge towards the world of adults. They use their art to send messages that have to be interpreted. Maybe you should… have a talk with her… Make sure nothing is going on…"

Christa felt sick to her stomach. She hoped nothing was going on… "I will… I'll talk to her."

* * *

After picking Clementine up from Edith's house, Christa brought the child home and immediately had her take a seat on the couch.

"Clementine, we need to have a serious conversation." Christa said.

"Let me guess, I'm in trouble." Clementine rolled her eyes.

"No… You're not… This is about Terrell…" Christa said.

"Terrell? What about him?" Clementine asked.

"Has… Has he done anything to you?" Christa questioned.

Clementine furrowed her brows, "What are you talking about?"

"Has he… touched you, or hurt you and anyway?"

"What? No! Of course not." Clementine gasped. "I… I like Terrell. He's different from other guys…"

"In what way?"

"I don't know… He just is… I think… I think I'm in love with him." Clementine said.

"You're a child!" Christa felt sick upon hearing those words. "Love is a buzzword. You're a little kid."

"I'm not a little kid." Clementine argued.

"Yes. You are." Christa said. "There's a lot of time to fall in love. I want you to focus on school and, your girls. Love… Is what I feel for you. That's love. You can't find it as a kid. And you shouldn't trust men… Because they're males."

"So you didn't love Omid?" Clementine asked.

Christa sent the girl a look. "We're not talking about Omid. Never ask me something like that again."

"Well, I trust Terrell… He's always so nice to me… He understands me…" Clementine said.

"And he's like six years older than you, so keep on dreaming." Christa said. "I'm worried about you, Clem."

"Your concerned are misplaced." Clementine said, sounding uninterested with the conversation.

"Excuse me?" Christa huffed. "You've been getting into fights, sneaking out, pulled a knife on another child. Normal children don't do the things you do."

"Well, I'm not a normal child. Like I said, I'm not a little kid anymore." Clementine said. "We both know that. I have two kids of my own. If someone threatens me, I'm gonna defend myself. If someone threatens my friends, I'm going to defend them. And if someone talks about my kids, I'll kick their ass."

"Language, Clem."

"No! I'm sick and tired of being treated like I'm always so… so naughty!" Clementine said. "Everyone else is naughty too!"

"Clem-"

The little girl ignored the call as she stood and went to the room with her twins.

* * *

Clementine sat silently in her room, staring vacantly into space as she gently held her twins. The two were fast asleep having been fed and changed.

Holding them helped the girl feel a bit calmer despite the stress she was constantly dealing with, and the arguing going on in the other room.

" _I'm at my wits ends with her. I don't know what to do…" Christa said._

 _"Clementine's a good kid. She's not violent unless someone provokes her. She's never violent with animals or younger children. She's fighting to protect herself." Kenny replied. "For fuck's sake, she can barely remember shit, Christa."_

 _"She's not the same as she was when she was eight!" Christa said._

Clementine knew that was true. She had changed a lot, but Christa said it like it was a bad thing.

After a while the small child got up and placed the twins into their crib. "Mommy loves you two…" She smiled a soft smile. "…I'll be back soon. Sleep tight…"

The girl snuck out of the room. With the adults distracted arguing, she had no trouble getting outside un-noticed. The girl made sure to stick to the shadows, not wanting to be detected.

"It's pretty late for you to be out…" Terrell spoke. "You're past curfew…"

"I know… I needed to talk to you, T…" Clementine said. "I was hoping you were on patrol instead of watch tonight."

"And what if I hadn't been? What if you had come out and gotten caught by someone else." Terrell said.

"I guess I'm lucky that didn't happen." Clementine said.

"Alright. What's up?" Terrell asked.

"Christa wants me to stay away from you." Clementine said.

"I know…" Terrell said. "Are you gonna listen to her?"

"I don't want to… You're my friend." Clementine said.

"I don't want you getting in trouble…" Terrell replied.

"I'm always in trouble…" Clementine said. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure…"

"Do… Do you ever think about leaving…?" Clementine asked.

"This again?" Terrell sighed. "And going where, kid?"

"I don't know… Wellington just…doesn't feel safe anymore." Clementine said.

"You're safe with me. I promise…" Terrell said.

"Thank you…" Clementine said, hugging him. He returned her embrace and she could feel her heart pounding as they broke the hug. "I should… get back before they notice I'm gone."

"Yeah, you do that." Terrell nodded.

"Terrell, thanks for always listening…"

* * *

As Christa and Kenny's bickering settled Christa decided to check in with Clementine before heading to bed, however, much to her horror, the child wasn't in her room. Panicked, Christa rushed back to the other room. "Clementine's missing!" She said.

"What do you mean she's missing?" Kenny inquired.

* * *

Clementine was silent as she walked back towards her house, she suddenly felt something hit the back of her head. Surprised and unprepared, she turned around and was hit in the face. Her attackers had been hiding behind bushes and trees. Pelting snowballs came at her from all directions, some as hard as rocks. Instinctively, she threw up her hands to protect her face. As she did someone grabbed her from behind.

"Heard from Becca that you sneak out a lot. You're not the only one." A familiar voice said.

Clementine struggled in the older girl's grip. "Let me go!"

"Shut up…" Kaysey quickly pressed something sharp to the younger girl's neck. "If you make any noise you won't be seeing those babies of yours ever again. You know what will happen if we get caught out past curfew?"

One of the boys mimicked a gun shooting with his fingers.

"Exactly. All of us would get a bullet." Kaysey said.

The knife pricked her neck and Clementine winced. "Why-Why are you doing this?" Tears of humiliation and rage threatened to fall.

"Cry baby, cry," One of the kids taunted her. "Aren't you supposed to be a mommy? Who cries more, you or your babies?"

"We should show her where we go when we sneak out. Maybe let her spend the night there." Kaysey said. "I'm sure no one will miss her."

Clementine tried to squirm away but felt the knife prick more.

"Not so tough now, huh? You scream, and it'll be the last sound you ever make." Kaysey said before looking to Hunter. "Grab her feet."

The girl was struggling, kicking and punching as they grabbed her trying to drag her. Clementine turned her head and bit Kaysey's arm, hard enough to draw blood. The girl squealed in pain and in her surprise, she released her grip, throwing the younger girl to the ground. Clementine crashed face first into the snow.

"Leave me alone." Clementine spat then, slowly, she struggled to a sitting position, wiping the melting snow from her face.

"You little brat!" Kaysey sprang to the child and tackled her. Clementine fought back the best she could but found herself pinned against the ground with the older girl ready to deliver a punch to her head.

"Let her go." A voice spoke.

The older girl immediately broke her grip, standing up.

"You're all pass curfew." Terrell said.

"We can explain-"

Terrell stopped him, "Quiet. You know the consequences of breaking curfew."

Seeing the boy's hand go to his weapon Clementine quickly spoke, "Terrell, don't.

Terrell stopped upon hearing her words. "Get your asses home, otherwise we'll have a problem."

The kids quickly ran off.

"You okay?" Terrell asked as he helped Clementine up and could feel her trembling a bit. She quickly hugged him. "Hey... It's okay. I got you... Let's get you home."

* * *

Kenny had rushed outside before Christa could say much else. When he spotted Terrell's figure carrying someone in his arms, anger paralyzed Kenny, thoughts racing through his head. Why was she with this boy?

He immediately rushed towards them. "You stay the hell away from my girl!"

"That's not very polite." Terrell said. "I'm the one who helped her."

"It's damn polite of me not to knock your teeth out!" Kenny snapped.

"You should watch your tone, old man. I helped the girl." There was an edge of a threat in his voice.

"I know you've had her sneaking out to come find you. You stay the fuck away from her!" Kenny hissed.

Terrell gently placed the young girl down. "I don't have her doing anything. She wants to be around me."

Kenny glared at him the without hesitation sent a ferocious punch to his face.

Slightly dazed, from the hit, Terrell shot him an angry look. "You're gonna fucking regret that."

"S-Stop fighting. Please don't fight." Clementine's entire body quaked at the sudden turn of events.

"It's alright, darlin… I'm gonna take you home." Kenny took the child into his own arms. "I got you, hon."

He walked off, holding Clementine in a protective grip, with a fuming Terrell glaring at his back. Terrell reached to grab his radio. Pressing the button he spoke into it, "Hey… It's time…"

* * *

The second Kenny stepped into the house Christa sighed in relief upon seeing Clementine in his arms. Kenny sat the girl on the couch and began checking for any injuries.

"What the hell happened to your neck?" Kenny asked.

"It's nothing… Don't worry about it…" Clementine said. "Are…my twins still sleeping."

"Your twins are fine, Clem…" Christa said.

"Are… Are you mad at me?" Clementine asked.

"We were worried, darlin'. We keep telling you not to wander off." Kenny said.

"I needed to talk to Terrell... He hasn't done anything wrong to me, you shouldn't have hit him." Clementine said.

"He shouldn't be hanging around a little girl." Christa said.

"He's my friend." Clementine said.

"He's not your damn friend, Clem!" Kenny groaned.

"Stop yelling at me! You said you weren't mad!" Clementine pulled away from him.

"Let's just get you to your room to rest…" Christa said, taking the child's hand.

She was a lot warmer than usual. Christa couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. Her stress fevers were normal at this point, but they had never been this high.

After getting the child tucked into bed, she returned to the other room to speak to Kenny who was sitting on the couch looking stressed out.

"She didn't feel hot to you, like she had a fever?" Christa asked.

"She was out in the cold. She probably just needs her medicine." Kenny mumbled.

"She was out in the cold, but her skin feels hot." Christa pointed out.

"She gets fevers a lot, you know it." Kenny said.

"Not like this…" Christa disagreed. "It's high…"

"Try not to worry too much. She'll be fine…" Kenny said.

Christa sighed. "I hope so…"

* * *

Christa remained at Clementine's side all night. Whenever the child awoke, she would sooth her back to sleep, while constantly checking her temperature. Her fever was spiked.

The next morning when Christa brushed her palm across the girl's forehead she was as hot as fire.

Clementine lay still, eyes half-closed, her little body exuding heat like a furnace—heat that Christa could feel without even touching her skin. How high was the fever? How high could it go without killing her?

It didn't take a doctor to tell her the fever was dangerously high.

"I don't feel good..." Clementine muttered.

"You've got a bit of fever, that's all. You'll be fine once we get you cooled down." Christa tried to reassure the child, not wanting her to panic. "Just try to rest."

The child took a few minutes to drift off again.

Only a few minutes had passed into her sleep before a harsh knocking at the door startled the young girl awake again. "Wh-Who's there?"

"It's the front door, Clem. Don't worry." Christa said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sarita answered the door with a surprise in store for her. Two Wellington guards and a medic stood on the doorstep.

"Good morning," The medic spoke.

"Can I help you?" Sarita greeted them. "Is everything okay?"

"We were sent to do a welfare check on the girl staying here with you—Clementine," The medic explained. "Can we see her?"

"Who's there, Sarita?" Christa asked coming towards the door.

"Umm… People are here to see Clem." Sarita said.

"What for?" Christa asked.

"It's a welfare check." Sarita said, repeating what the medic had said to her.

"Welfare? What the hell are you talking about?" Christa approached the door and noticed a familiar nurse. "I should've expected you to pull some shit like this."

"Me? I'm just following orders." The nurse said. "I need to see the girl."

"What is your reasoning?" Christa asked.

"Just let us see her. We don't want things to get bad." The nurse said.

"I can't bring her out here, and I won't let you see her, unless I know what it's for." Christa said.

"You will bring her to us, or we'll force our way inside and find her ourselves." One of the guards said.

Christa fought back a sigh. "Come this way." She motioned for them to follow her.

They followed her towards the child's room.

Clementine sat up looking tired and confused. "Christa? What's wrong? Am I in trouble?"

"No, sweetie… These people just want to talk to you…" Christa said.

Clementine looked over the people and rose a brow as she looked to the nurse. "I remember you… From the hospital… You thought the twins were my sisters."

"It's not everyday a child gets pregnant…" The woman replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Not great…" Clementine admitted honestly. "W-What's going on? Is… everything okay?"

"No... Everything's not okay… A group of kids, a bit older than you, were out last night. The guards caught them, and following protocol, detained them. They questioned them, checked them for bites. One of the girls wasn't feeling well, she was running a fever, they checked her, found a bite... And they shot her without hesitation."

"T-They shot Kaysey?" Clementine stammered, eyes wide in horror.

"How do you know it was Kaysey?" The nurse asked.

"I saw her…" Clementine admitted, still shaken up from the news.

"I thought so... Your name came up. We questioned the kids, and they told us you were out past curfew too. Which means we have to check you for bites." The nurse said.

"She's not bitten. We would know if she was." Christa said.

"We still have to check..." The nurse said. "Maybe it's on the best behalf of the children that they're removed from the household.

"What are you saying?" Christa asked.

"I think it might be best to remove any child living here from the household." The nurse said.

"Hell no. You said you were here for a welfare check, Clementine's fine!" Christa snapped.

"We are here for a welfare check… but that's not the only reason we're here…" The nurse said.

"Then why?" Clementine asked.

"We have order to remove any child living here from the household." One of the guards said.

"W-What?" Clementine gasped.

"We have order to-"

"What reasoning do you have to take them?" Christa inquired.

"We're just following orders." The guard said.

"Fuck your orders!" Christa spat.

"We just want the children to be safe." The nurse said.

"So you're saying it's not safe with us?" Christa asked.

"Did a young child not end up pregnant in your care?" The nurse retorted.

"None of you understand the actual situation!" Christa hissed.

"What's there to understand? Your group let a small child get pregnant." The nurse said.

"We didn't allow it to happen!" Christa huffed.

"Then how did it happen?!" The nurse asked.

"It just… did." Clementine spoke up. "It doesn't matter how it happened…"

"It does matter. And we have to make sure this doesn't just happen again." The nurse said.

"You have no right to take the children!" Christa exclaimed.

"We have every right. We're protecting a child from being further abused." The nurse said.

Clutching to her teddy bear, Clementine whimpered a bit. "I wanna stay with Christa! I want to stay here and be with everyone, especially with my girls."

"Don't worry, honey. Your girls are going to come with you." The woman nodded towards one of the guards, who walked over to the crib.

"Don't you dare touch them!" Clementine hissed, forcing herself from the bed.

"Now, now, settle down." The nurse gently grabbed the child's arm but was shocked when she felt how heated the small child's skin was.

The nurse slowly maneuvered her free hand to Clementine's forehead. Her eyes grew wide at the heat. "Holy shit…"

Removing her hand on the child's burning forehead, she felt her pulse. It was abnormally slow for such a high fever. The high fever and slow pulse had alarmed her.

"She… She has a fever!" The nurse exclaimed, causing the small girl to flinch. "She's bit!"

"Don't be crazy, there's no bite!" Christa quickly said, trying to defuse the situation.

"Don't you fucking lie to me!" The nurse tightened her grip on the little girl's arm causing her to whimper a bit and try to tug away. "Show me the bite!"

"What the hell are you doing? She's just a little girl! Leave her be." Christa snapped.

"Don't be a fool! Clearly the child is bitten!" The nurse stated.

"There's no bite!" Clementine said. "I'm not bitten!"

"She gets fevers all the time. They're stress fevers!" Christa said.

"A fever like that would have killed her. She's obviously bit! We gotta put her down." The nurse said.

"You're out of your damn minds if you think we're gonna let you kill her." Christa said.

"There is no salvation for someone with a bite! Do it!" The nurse said.

One of the guards nodded, Christa noticed him raise his gun with hesitation. "Don't you fucking dare! She's a little kid!"

The guard paused.

"DO IT!" The nurse bellowed out.

"NO!" Christa yelled.

A gunshot rang out before the guard could touch the trigger and he fell dead to the ground. The second guard whipped around to face the shoot, aiming his own weapon only to be shot in the chest.

"Let her go now." Kenny ordered.

"She's bit! I know she is!" The woman was practically using the child as a shield.

Kenny knew it would be risky to take a shot.

"Just let her go… There's no need for this." Sarita pleaded.

"You're putting everyone at risk by trying to keep a bite victim alive." The nurse said.

"She's not bit!" Christa said.

"I'll handle this myself!" The woman snapped. Keeping a grip on Clementine's little arm, she lunged forward trying to grab the guard's gun. Clementine managed to struggle away, and Kenny quickly took the opportunity to pull the trigger, killing the corrupt nurse.

Clementine flinched feeling the blood splatter on her clothes. The child felt her legs wobble, threatening to give out. Christa quickly helped her to the bed, before picking up one of the guard's guns and shooting the guard Kenny had shot in the chest.

"You didn't shoot him in the head." Christa huffed before taking a deep breath. "What the fuck do we do now?"

"We get the fuck out of here! That's what?" Kenny said.

"It's not that simple, Kenny!" Christa argued.

"Well we can't stay here where people are willing to kill kids… Wellington's not like it was when we first got here." Kenny said.

"Clementine's sick. The twins aren't exactly healthy. And Aleena needs oxygen." Christa said. "We don't have the supplies to leave right now..."

"We'll pack up on whatever supplies we need, but we can't stay here much longer." Kenny said.

"Wh-What about Edith and Danielle, and Patricia and Gill? We should get them to come with us." Clementine said.

"We'll talk to them. And see what they want to do… I'm gonna get these bodies out of here before their fucking friends decide to show up." Kenny said, and proceeded to drag one of the bodies out.

Clementine frowned. "Christa…"

"What?" Christa turned to the girl.

"Do you think it was my fault…What happened to Kaysey?" Clementine asked nervously.

"What are you talking about?" Christa asked.

"We got into a fight, I bit her and-"

"She was running a fever, Clem. That had nothing to do with you… Don't blame yourself for any of this shit." Christa said.

"Okay…" Clementine muttered. "I'm scared…"

Christa went to hug the girl, "Don't be… There's nothing to be-"

The sudden sound of an explosion shook them all. Eyes filled with fear they could only wonder-

"What the fuck was that?" Becca's voice could be heard from the other room, speaking the question on everyone's minds.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Thanks for the help, gaara king of the sand.**_

 _ **I hope everyone is staying safe through the chaos going on, and continues to stay safe.**_

 _ **Please enjoy the chapter.**_

* * *

The next few minutes were followed by a tense silence.

"What's going on? What the hell was that?" Becca asked again as she stepped into Clementine's room.

"Another reason to get the hell out of here." Christa said.

The raid sirens began to loudly blare moments later. Clementine flinched as the twins began crying and AJ whimpered.

When the sirens wailed, almost immediately it was followed by the distant sound of gunfire.

"Sarah, get away from the window." Kenny ordered from the other room.

"W-What's happening?" Sarah stammered, shaking a bit.

"What the fuck is going on?" Becca inquired.

Suddenly the sound of gunfire filled the air and more explosions shook the ground.

"We need to get out of here." Christa said.

"No really?" Becca scoffed. Christa was not amused by her sarcasm.

The three adults quickly got the babies out of their cribs and ushered all the children into the living room.

"What do we do now?" Sarita asked.

"Find a way out." Christa replied.

"What about Danielle and Gill. We need to make sure they're okay." Clementine said.

The sounds outside were frightening. Clementine wondered if people were dying out their right now. She had hoped it was just a drill, but those gunshots confirmed that they were really being attacked…

Kenny slammed the windows of the living room shut. Then he and Christa went around the house making sure each window and door was secure.

The twins and AJ were crying from all the noise. Clementine felt sick to her stomach. She was already weak and dizzy from her fever, why did this have to happen now.

The danger of the situation alarmed them.

"I'll go find them. The rest of you stay here." Kenny said.

"I'll go with you. I'll watch your back." Christa said. "The rest of you pack up and be ready to move."

"We're gonna need more supplies than what we have now." Sarita said. "How will we get more supplies? The whole town's been rationing…"

"Edith should know where they keep supplies." Christa said.

"If you get caught, they'll kill you." Sarita said nervously.

"We just have to not get caught then." Kenny replied.

The sound outside grew louder, and Clementine caught Christa's arm in fear, "Let me come with you."

"You have to stay here, Clem." Christa placed a hand over her forehead. "And you need your medicine. Your fever's spiked."

"I don't care about that. I need to make sure my friends are okay." Clementine said.

Christa ignored her and went to grab the medicine before returning to the girl. "Take this. It should drop your fever."

Clementine obliged, taking the medicine before trying to stand from the couch. "I'm going with you. I need to make sure everyone's okay…"

"No, Clem, stay here where it's safe." Christa said.

"I don't want to…" Clementine complained.

"You have to, darlin'. You can't come with us." Kenny said.

"But we can't just stay here and do nothing." Clementine said.

"Yes, you can. You stay here where it's safe." Christa said.

"It's not safe here." Clementine argued.

"This is what that survival school was for! So, we know what to do in a situation like this. We can help." Becca said.

"No." Kenny shook his head. "You stay here and keep an eye on the little ones. We'll be right back."

Not allowing room for any further argument, Kenny and Christa grabbed their weapons and went charging out.

Clementine felt her heart drop as Becca glared at the door.

"This is complete bullshit. What are we supposed to do, we can't just sit around while all of this shit goes on; We gotta do something!" Becca said

"We're going to." Sarita said. "I need you girls to pack up as much supplies as you can carry."

"Got it." Becca agreed. She wanted to do more but this was a start.

Clementine and Becca started pack, Sarah seemed frightened and hung in the living room with the babies.

Fearful as she was, Sarita kept herself busy by preparing AJ a snack, to keep the whimpering toddler calm, while the kids packed up supplies.

* * *

Soldiers fired at the gateway, reacting out of instinct and fear, rather than hope to hit someone.

Bodies and debris covered the streets.

Everywhere people ran, screams of children and adults alike echoed through town. All around them people were fighting, some with guns, some with knives or with fists.

Tear gas burnt their eyes, forcing them to water. Walkers were invading the town, killing people who hadn't been gunned down by these raiders.

Armored vehicles blasted at one another.

Things were frenetic and chaotic. Non-combatant civils were simply trying not to die. Christa noticed the same kids that had once picked on her girl were sobbing uncontrollably, practically pissing themselves and throwing up.

Children were being used as mule to bring gear and ammo to guards. Some were awkwardly carrying guns, shooting at the intruders with barely any control of their fire. Kenny and Christa felt sick. They were glad they hadn't brought the kids outside.

Any normal person would have been upset about killing kids. Children were valuable. But these intruders gave no thought about who they were shooting.

They wanted to help, but they knew they'd be no match. Watching how these people gunned down children without a care made Christa want to vomit herself.

"We need to get the hell out of here." Christa said. "We grab whatever we can, get back to the kids, and get the fuck out."

Kenny didn't have the time to answer before people were firing in their direction, forcing them to take cover.

They were going to have to fight back or die trying.

* * *

The group was tense and silent as rioters continued to ransack the town. There was more sounds of gunfire and explosions.

Sarah had crawled under the table for safety and was shaking.

"Come out from there. You being a scaredy-cat isn't helping us." Becca said.

It had been a while since Kenny and Christa left. They packed a bunch of stuff and grabbed a large wagon from the backyard to put the babies in. Clementine made sure to grab Aleena's portable oxygen tank and her own medicine and her stuffed bear. They were now taking cover in the living room. They waited as long as possible, but patience was running out.

After several more explosions, the glass windows from the bedroom blew in. Suddenly they heard banging against the front door. They all flinched.

"Open up! We know you're in there!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed.

Sarita panics. "We need to get out of here."

More banging came against the door. It was harsh, they were clearly trying to break the door down.

"We have to get out the back door." Sarita said to the children.

They quickly put the twins and AJ into the wagon as cries filled the room.

"Come on, Clem." Sarita helped the child up, grabbing the girl's crutches and putting them on her. Sarita then knelt to Clementine's level. "Look at me. I need you to run as fast as you can."

"Y-Yeah. I will…" Clementine said.

"Good. Get to the back door. All of you." Sarita said.

"Wait, you're coming too! We can't just leave you. Come with us!" Clementine argued.

"I'll catch up. Run as fast as you can and don't look back." Sarita ordered.

Clementine froze, "Bu-But…"

Tears streamed down Sarah's face as she trembled.

Suddenly one of the windows broke and some kind of smoke bomb was thrown inside, obstructing their view.

"Please go… It would kill me if anything happened to you." Sarita said. "I'll be right behind you. Run."

And they did. She lied to save them.

She said don't look back, but Clementine did. She looked back just as the door broke and someone climbed through the window. Not but a few seconds later, did a gunshot rang out. Clementine knew Sarita was gone… No, dead…

Taking a deep breath with pinpricks of fear running down Clementine's spine, they ran as far as possible from the house.

* * *

Gunshots echoed outside, they could hear windows breaking and people screaming.

The kids are all terrified, especially Sarah. Their ears were ringing from all the chaos going on around them. The babies are screaming and crying.

"We have to find Kenny and Christa!" Clementine said.

Wellington was a huge town; they could be anywhere.

"They… They said they were going to find Gill and Danielle. We should check their houses." Clementine said.

Becca simply nodded in response.

Wellington was littered with corpses. Some were in their homes, many in the streets.

The smell of gunpowder tickled her nose. She worried that inhaling all this would harm her babies, especially Aleena. Clementine heard bullets sound past her, one grazing her cheek, she quickly smacks into the wall of a nearby house to get behind cover. The others quickly follow suit, Becca trying to shush the crying babies. Clementine spent a moment, trying to pinpoint exactly where the shots were coming from.

When Clementine felt the coast was clear, she urged her friends to continue onward.

They noticed broken glass, scrambling bodies, and punctured flesh. They were forced to step over the mangled bodies of some of their own classmates.

The explosions drowned out the sharp noise of gunfire.

Someone fired shots in their direction, but the bullets whizzed past them. Fortunately, whoever was shooting at them had bad aim.

The girls were shocked by the horror of the situation. Fire devoured the town like a hungry serpent, spreading from building to building, while residents scrambled to find some sort of protection from the attack, only to be gunned down the minute they stepped outside.

"We're gonna die..." Becca mumbled to herself.

Clementine hoped she was wrong.

The scene was horrific to watch, people writhing on the ground, or running around pleading for help, only to be permanently silenced by a bullet.

They were powerless to do anything but watch and flee. They rush towards Gill's house to find the boy outside in a panic.

"Are you okay? Where's Patricia?" Clementine asked the boy.

"She's at the hospital! I gotta find her!" Gill exclaimed.

"We need to check on Dani!" Clementine said.

Gill looked around frantically. "I gotta find my mom! She's at the hospital! I can't leave her alone through all this!"

"We'll go with you!" Clementine seized his arm. "Just-"

"No! I can't wait!" Gill shoves her back and without another word runs off.

"Gill!" Clementine frowns and tries to go after him only to be stopped by Becca.

"No, let's go find Danielle. Gill will be fine!" Becca said.

"You don't know that. He's my friend. I can't let him go alone." Clementine argued.

"We don't have a choice. Unless you wanna get shot, we gotta keep moving." Becca said. "If he wants to dig his own grave, let him…"

Clementine was hurt but kept quiet. She just hoped Gill would be okay.

They did their best to keep behind cover and out of view. It was hard to keep themselves unnoticed with three babies crying in a wagon. They were more than relieved when they finally made it to Edith's house.

Becca rushed forward without hesitation and banged on the door.

"Oh shit, they're here! Danielle, stay back!" Edith's voice was heard from inside.

"Edith, Danielle, it's us! Let us in!" Becca called.

Edith opens the door and aims her gun. But lowers it upon seeing them. "Are you guys okay? Where's Christa, Kenny, and Sarita?"

"Christa and Kenny said they were coming to find you. I don't know where they are..." Clementine said.

"Get inside, hurry." Edith quickly rushed the children inside.

Danielle immediately rushed over to Clementine and hugged her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I… I'm fine…" Clementine returned the hug, she could feel her friend trembling, she was sure she was too.

"S-Sarita's dead..." Sarah suddenly stammered.

"Wh-What?" Edith asked, eyes wide in horror and shock.

"They shot her..." Becca said.

"Oh my god..." Edith frowned.

"Who the hell are these guys? Why are they attacking us?" Becca asked.

"It's one of the groups we sent away-they're back. And now they're armed. This is bad, guys. There's a lot of them. Too many of them. I don't like the looks of it." Edith explained.

"How bad is "bad"?" Clementine asked as she and Danielle broke their hug.

""Pack your stuff and be ready to run" bad." Edith replied.

"What do they want from us?" Clementine questioned.

"More than we can give... And now they're angry. They got a lot of cars and they're seriously pissed off. This is...gonna get ugly, I know it." Edith said.

"It's already really ugly out there… It's awful…" Becca said.

"Shit…" Edith mumbled.

"What do we do?" Danielle asked.

"We need to get out of here..." Edith said. "There's a little building by the hospital where we can get supplies. We can get medicine for Aleena there too…"

Clementine nodded. "Take us there."

* * *

Things were taking much longer than they would've hoped. Kenny and Christa had been forced to kill a couple of their assailants. When the shootings stopped in the area they were in and they hesitantly emerged from their cover, gun smoking from their recent discharge.

They watched the taillights of vehicles disappear around a bend.

"Alright, we're clear. Let's move." Kenny said.

Christa nodded.

The two made sure to stay low as they maneuvered their way through the town

As they walked through, they were able to see more of the damage. Dead bodies littered the ground around the main gate and more covered the streets of the town. Screams could still be heard from further away.

Smoke filled their lungs and stung their eyes. But they knew they needed to move.

"We- We need to get the kids and get out of here." Christa coughed.

"We should split up." Kenny said.

"I don't think that's a good idea. We should stick together, watch each other's backs." Christa said.

"It'll be faster this way. You check out Edith's place. I'll check out Patricia's. We'll meet back at the house and then get the fuck out of here." Kenny said.

Christa tried to protest but Kenny was already taking off.

"Damn it..." Christa huffed.

* * *

Edith had led the children out carefully; they stayed quiet and cautious to avoid being spotted. "This way… On my mark, run…"

They waited for Edith's sign, as the woman made sure the area was clear.

"Move, hurry." Edith ordered in a whisper.

They ran to the small brick building. The door at the front entrance had been destroyed. Clementine's legs felt rubbery and weak, her body was moving entirely on its own. She did her best to keep up, she could run with her crutches, but it sure as hell left her exhausted.

As they got inside the building, they quickly grabbed a couple bags full of supplies.

"We don't have much time. Hurry." Edith said.

The children nodded and continue grabbing what they could.

"Check in there." They suddenly heard a voice order. "Kill anyone you see, take their weapons. Take whatever they have on them."

Edith quickly flicked her flashlight off and immediately signaled for them to take cover. Clementine did so, doing her best to keep the babies from crying. The raiders entered the room in pairs, fanning out into the darkened building.

Clementine pressed her back against the wall by the door, from her position she could see several guards firing outside.

As the raiders past them they immediately made a run for it. As they got out of the building, Clementine looked to the hospital wondering if Gill and Patricia were okay. The girl slowed her pace as the others continued towards the gate, gaze on the hospital. When suddenly a loud noise erupted through the air.

The blast knocked Clementine flat and punched the wind from her lungs. She looked to the now blazing building, ears still ringing and still fighting for breath. She stared dully without comprehension at the building for a moment than her eyes grew wide and she screamed.

"Got 'em!" Someone exclaimed. He sounded far away.

All the medicine and supplies gone. Gill and Patricia... Gone...

Clementine screamed, heart pounding in her chest. "My friend's in there! My friend's in there!"

"Get up!" Edith quickly urged as she pulled the child to her feet. "We gotta move. Let's go. Let's go." Edith grabs her and pulls her away.

Once Clementine is walking on her own, Edith takes hold of the wagon that the babies are in and starts running.

They manage to get outside of Wellington as the other residents are gunned down.

"Just-head for-for the woods!" Edith called.

They do as she says.

Gasps of shock come from the girls as Edith was shot in the back once. The woman went down, legs buckling. Then another shot hitting her in the back of the head.

Becca rushed over and grabbed the wagon.

"Edith! Edith!" Danielle rushes over to her guardian shaking her. Sarah is glued in place shaking.

"Nooo!" Clementine exclaims. She quickly checks on the babies who are covered in blood. "Oh, god-you're okay, you're okay, you're okay!"

"We need to move! Danielle, she's gone! We gotta keep going." Becca said, pulling the wagon forward.

"B-But… But-" Danielle stammered, only to feel Becca grab hold on her arm and tug her.

"Come on!" Becca ordered again.

"We can't leave Kenny and Christa!" Clementine protested.

"If you don't want to die, run! We have to keep going!" Becca snaps.

"I see someone! Near the trees! Fuckin' shoot 'em!" They suddenly heard a voice exclaim.

"Move!" Becca said.

They started running towards the woods, leaving behind the town that they once saw as a safe haven.

* * *

Kenny did his best to avoid drawing attention. He would kill anyone who fired in his direction. As he headed towards Patricia's house, he would take cover behind trees, or buildings. He was nearly to Patricia's house when he suddenly noticed a familiar figure on the ground. A young boy. Making sure his path was clear, Kenny rushed to the child.

"Fuck, are you okay?" Kenny asked.

The little boy looked up, clutching to his side. "W-Where's my mom?"

"I... I don't know, kid... Look, just stay with me, okay?" Kenny said, putting pressure on the wound. "Just stay with me."

Christa had smelled the gaseous odor of death before, but nothing like this. The sight was a painful one to look at.

The smoke rising from many fires still burning in various parts of the town. Bodies littered the streets; some were burnt to a crisp or smoldering. Blood was splattered onto buildings and the ground.

It was awful.

When Christa had arrived at Edith's house, she was surprised to find the woman and Danielle were both gone. She noticed the place was wreck, it looked as if people had come through, probably searching for more victims.

Christa hoped they got out safely. She had to meet Kenny, Sarita, and the kids back at the house. They would leave this place and never look back.

* * *

The town had been in panic. There had been so much going on the only thing anyone could think about was getting to safety.

Clementine fought the urge to call to Christa, not wanting to attract attention.

They needed to find shelter and soon.

"Clem?" Danielle called to her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just worried about Christa and Kenny… I'm wondering if they made it…" Clementine said.

Danielle lowered her head wondering the same. She looked around before looking back to Clementine. "Come on. We need to find shelter."

"Yeah... I just hope they're okay." Clementine said.

"Me too." Danielle said. They continued to walk through the forest.

"Any ideas on where we should go?" Clementine asked.

"Hmm... Not really..." Danielle said.

"Me either..." Clementine sighed. "We're going to get tired eventually. I hope we find someplace soon."

"Same here." Danielle said, taking her friends hand. "We can take a break when we get tired. We'll look out for each other."

Clementine gave a nod. "Yeah, we will."

* * *

Kenny continue putting pressure on Gill's wound. This little boy was Clementine's friend, there was no way he would let the kid die, but if they stayed put, they would probably end up getting shot.

"Fuck, kid... we gotta move." Kenny scooped the boy up in his arms and began running.

Gunshots rang out behind him on the way in, and he could hear some of the rounds whistling past.

He didn't stop. Keeping a steady pace, he ran towards their house, hoping Christa or Sarita would be able to help the boy.

* * *

Kenny and Christa both managed to make it to the house almost at the same time.

Christa was surprised to see Kenny carrying Gill who seemed to have passed out. "What happened?"

"He's been shot. Can you take a look?" Kenny asked.

"Not out here." Christa said. "Get inside, come on."

Kenny nodded. They were both unnerved as they noticed the front door was broken along with some of the windows.

The two walked inside to see the house was in horrible condition. Kenny's eyes widened and he nearly lost grip on the young boy in his arms. He quickly laid Gill on the couch before rushing to Sarita's unmoving form.

"OH GOD! Sarita!" Kenny cried.

"Oh my God…" Christa mumbled. "I… I'm so sorry, Kenny."

Kenny ignored her as he cradled Sarita in his arms apologizing over and over again for leaving her.

"I… I'll let you have a moment." Christa said, understanding too well what he was going through right now.

Kenny didn't say a word, he just continued clutching to Sarita.

Christa frowned and left the room. "Girls, we're back! Where are you?" Christa called.

No response.

"Girls?" Christa quickly went to look around the house. There was no sign of the kids. "Girls?! Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck…"

Christa rushed back into the living room, heart full of dread. "The kids are gone!"

"What do you mean gone?!" Kenny inquired.

"They're gone! As in not here!" Christa replied.

"Fuck… Fuck! This shit can't be happening…" Kenny shook his head vigorously.

Gill groaned from the couch and Christa walked over to assert the boy's injury.

"They took the supplies… So… hopefully, they're safe…" Christa said.

"Everyone I love… Everyone I care about- I just break everything I touch…" Kenny mumbled, head low in sorrow.

"Kenny, snap out of it. We need to get a move on. We need to see if we can find the kids." Christa said.

"They could be dead by now, Christa! We failed them!" Kenny said. "We failed all of them…"

"I've been separated and reunited with Clem before. Those kids are tough. I'm sure they're fine." Christa said. She really hoped so. She felt she was more trying to convince herself that they were okay than trying to convince Kenny.

Kenny didn't respond, he just turned his attention back to Sarita. "Sarita... God, wherever you are... Please forgive me... I can't be alone again..."

Christa sighed and looked to Gill, checking his gunshot wound. "I'm gonna see if we have any supplies left. Stay with the boy."

Kenny still didn't respond.

Christa got up and went to look around for supplies.

The bombing and gunshots finally ceased. The only sounds left were the crashes of falling buildings and the roar of still burning fires.

Before long Christa returned with a little bit of disinfectant and some bandages. "It's not much, but this will have to do." She went over to Gill and began to treat the unconscious boy's wound. Gill hissed in pain as she disinfected his wound, before bandaging it. "It's not as bad as it could be…The bullet went straight through and as far as I can tell, didn't hit anything vital." Christa noted. "He's passed out though. Hopefully he pulls through."

"We're all fucked anyway…" Kenny said. "Just do what you can… I don't wanna watch another kid die…"

"I've done all I can for him… We need to get out of here now." Christa said. "Those guys could still be here, and if we don't want to get shot or burnt to death we need to move."

"What's the point?" Kenny muttered.

"Kenny don't do this. We can't just give up. Sarita would want you to keep going." Christa said.

"You don't know about what Sarita would want! Sarita's DEAD, and it's all our fault!" Kenny suddenly snapped.

"We did all we could. You can't blame yourself." Christa replied.

"She's dead because I left her. We left her." Kenny said. "She's gone. And so are the kids."

"We'll find them. We have to." Christa said. "Edith and Patricia, we haven't found them. Maybe they're with the kids."

"Patricia would never leave Gill… She's probably… She's probably gone too." Kenny said.

"Regardless, we need to move. The only thing we'll accomplish is getting ourselves killed here." Christa said.

Kenny kept quiet.

"Kenny, listen to me, you said you don't want to see another kid die… If that's true, then help me get this boy to safety." Christa practically pleaded.

That seemed to do the trick. Kenny gently laid Sarita down, releasing his grip on her hand. "I love you, hon… I'll always love you…" Slowly he stood, walked over to Gill and scooped the boy up. Then without facing Christa spoke, "Let's go."

* * *

Her head was foggy, ears ringing. She could feel hands on her, dragging her from the hospital's bunker. She and a couple of the nurses and patients had rushed down there to hide. The explosion still did a lot of damage, killing some, knocking others unconscious.

Patricia couldn't focus, her only clear thought was, _"Where was Gill?"_ Before she faded into darkness.

* * *

Kenny adjusted Gill in his grip as Christa gathered what supplies she could find throughout the house. She had noticed Aleena's breathing machine was gone, along with Promise, and the medicine that she constantly had to argue with Clementine to get her to take. That had to be a sign that those kids were alive. At least she hoped so.

With all the supplies she could find gathered, the two headed outside. They made sure to keep quiet as they headed towards the gate.

They needed to get as far away from the town as possible.

The worse of the attack seemed to be over. No more shots were being fired in their direction; their attackers must have retreated.

Christa tried not to look at the deceased people on the ground as they pushed forward. However, upon exiting the gate, one body caught their attention. It was Edith. "No… No, no, no…" Christa's heart dropped.

"Fuck!" Kenny exclaimed. "Fuck! They- They're not with her. She's dead too, so the kids-"

"That doesn't mean the kids are dead." Christa said. "We have to keep looking, Kenny… We have to find them."

It just couldn't end like this. They didn't even know if the kids were alive. They needed to keep looking.

* * *

Everything happened too fast. The residents were caught by surprise when the attack started.

Despite some people trying to fight back, it didn't go well. Any survivors were forced to flee the town. And unfortunately, there weren't many survivors.

Surviving nurses and doctors, led other injured survivors from the town, there was less than twenty of them, they had gathered into a loading truck and driven as far away from town. They did what they could to tend to the wounds of the injured. It was a tough job with their limited supplies and some people had died dropping the number of survivors to even less.

Patricia, who had suffered from a head injury during the explosion found herself drifting in and out of consciousness. "I... have to find my son..." She mumbled, before passing out again.

* * *

The children didn't know how long they had been walking. It felt like hours were stretching to spite them. With aching feet, they trudged on in silence. No sign of Kenny or Christa. No sign of Patricia or Gill. No sign of anyone else from town.

They had been walking so long they didn't even know if they were going in circles.

Clementine felt her stomach churn each time she thought about the massacre that had just wiped out the entire town that had once been Wellington. A town where they were supposed to be safe…

This just proved to Clementine that there was no such thing as a safe place. The young girl adjusted her cap absentmindedly then glanced to the wagon Becca was pulling. AJ and the twins were fast asleep in the wagon. Clementine looked to her friends, Danielle was holding Flopsie close while rubbing sleep out of her eyes, while Sarah was looking around nervously, jumping at almost every little sound. Becca's eyes were glued forward as she continued walking fearlessly in front of them, the teen hadn't said a word in a long time- no one had.

Clementine looked up to the darkening sky and finally decided to break the silence among them. "We need to stop." She declared.

"Like hell we do." Becca protested in a snippy tone.

Sarah and Danielle both seemed torn on what to do and thus remained quiet.

"It's getting late. We're all exhausted, and there's no way I want to keep marching in the wood in the middle of the night." Clementine said. "We should just stop and rest up. We can keep going in the morning."

"We can't just stop in the middle of nowhere, dumb-dumb." Becca replied.

"I'm not dumb." Clementine said.

"Then quit acting like it." Becca responded.

"I am not! Why don't you quit acting so mean?" Clementine inquired. "It's getting dark. We won't be able to see anything soon. It's dangerous to keep moving."

"What the hell do you know? You're just a stupid little kid." Becca snapped.

"We're not going to find anything this way. Just calm down and listen to me." Clementine said.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down. I have every right to be annoyed. I'm stuck here, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of babies. Three literal babies, and then you three, who are practically babies yourselves." Becca hissed. "I have a better chance of surviving on my own, than staying with you three. If anything were to happen- if we get attacked out here, we're dead."

"No, we're not. Nothing's going to happen." Clementine said. "We made it out of that town, we're still alive and we'll stay alive if we're smart and we stick together."

"Bullshit. We barely made it out of there." Becca retorted. "We could've died. We almost did."

"Maybe… Maybe we should keep our voices down…" Danielle spoke in a small voice. "And I don't think that stopping for a little while is a bad thing… We could all use some rest."

Sarah kept quiet, fidgeting a bit.

Becca shot the younger girls of the group looks before crossing her arms.

"Besides, Clem's right. If it gets too dark, we won't be able to see where we're going…" Danielle added.

"If you want to leave, be my guest. I won't stop you. If you want to test your hand at survival alone, go ahead. But we all have a better chance if we stick together and watch each other's backs. You know that." Clementine said. "I care about you, Becca. You're my friend. But I'm also a mother, and I have to put my kids first. I'm not going any further tonight. We don't know what's out there and I won't put them at risk."

Becca glared at the young girl but huffed. "Fine, if you want to stop, we'll stop."

"Good…" Clementine sighed in relief.

"But staying put is a risk too." Becca released her grip on the wagon. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

The ground was cold and hard. No one slept well that night.

In between them trying to get some sleep, AJ or one of the twins would wake up and cry, leaving Clementine to have to tend to them. She also had to make sure Aleena's oxygen machine was working correctly, and make sure her daughter didn't stop breathing. She was exhausted. More so than the others.

At the crack of dawn, the twins were both wide awake and cooing.

Clementine slowly sat up to check on her babbling infants. "Would it hurt you two that much to let mommy get some sleep?"

The twins simply cooed in response.

"I'll take that as a yes." Clementine said. "Alright... I guess we're the only three up. So what do you wanna do?" Clementine asked, she knew she wouldn't get a verbal response, but she always talked to the twins regardless.

Picking the twins up out of the wagon, she sat them down but propped them against it. "Let's play a game... How about this," Clementine hid her face in her hands and then uncovered it. "Peek-a-boo!"

Crystal squealed in delighted at this. Aleena however simply smiled.

Clementine repeated this a few times gaining a similar reaction from a happy Crystal, however Aleena's smile fell, and she whimpered a bit as Clementine covered her face.

Clementine took that as her que to stop. "Aww, baby... Mommy didn't go anywhere, I'm right here." She picked her whimpering daughter up rocking her a bit. "Maybe we should just leave that game to Crystal and me, I know you're not a huge fan of that game."

It was interesting to Clementine that AJ and the twins had such unique interest. AJ loved shadow puppets, funny faces, and coloring. Crystal and Aleena, while still too young to do much, had their own individual likes as well. Crystal loved peek-a-boo while Aleena adored bright colors and noises.

"I think you'll both like this though." With Aleena calm, Clementine pulled out a rattle and shook it for the two girls.

The twins perked up at the noise. They both seemed entranced by the rattle. Crystal reached for the object and Clementine allowed the baby to grab it. "You two like that noise?"

"I don't, it's annoying." Becca suddenly groaned.

Clementine looked over to her. "Sorry... I didn't mean to wake you..."

"Sure, you didn't." Becca scoffed.

"I didn't… They just wanted to play." Clementine said.

"It's too early. All three of you should go back to sleep." Becca said.

"It's not that easy to get them back to sleep. Besides I thought you wanted to get a move on first thing in the morning." Clementine replied.

"I did. But not now. Give me at least another hour." Becca groaned. "I slept awful."

"Okay then... we'll be quieter." Clementine said.

"Good." Becca mumbled.

"Alright, girls. How about some breakfast?" Clementine put the rattle away and picked Crystal up so she could nurse both of her baby girls.

The girl noted how lightweight and small her twins still were, even for their adjusted age. Despite being five and a half months- adjusted- they could still fit into zero-three-month size clothing.

Clementine fed her two daughters, gently stroking their hair as she did so.

Before long AJ seemed to stir awake.

"Hey there, Goofball." Clementine greeted the toddler. "You hungry?"

AJ babbled in response.

"Okay, Let's get you out of that wagon." Clementine said, placing the twins down, so she could help AJ out the wagon. "Now, let's see what we have for you to eat, Alvie." Clementine checked her bag finding some apple sauce. "How about this, buddy?"

AJ smiled in response.

"Alright, apple sauce it is." Clementine opened the container, grabbing a spoon and started feeding him.

The twins seemed curious and tried to reach towards the food.

"You two wanna try this?" Clementine asked the girls. "Alright…" She scooped a tiny bit of and offered it to Crystal first. The baby promptly spit it out after Clementine spooned the apple sauce into her mouth. "Not a fan, huh Crys?" Clementine chuckled and allowed Aleena to taste. However, Aleena turned her head away at the mere smell. "Okay, I guess that's a no-go for you too, Leena." She smiled as she recalled something, "You two never did like apples, wouldn't even let me eat them when I was pregnant with you."

The twins simply babbled in response.

"It's all yours, AJ." Clementine continued feeding AJ until the little container was empty.

It wasn't long before the others started to wake up.

Breakfast was a half of an energy bar, and a couple of crackers. It wasn't nearly enough to fill them up, but Becca told them they had to save the supplies.

After they had finished eating, Clementine changed the babies' diapers, before placing them back into the wagon.

"We should get moving…" Becca said.

They nodded.

Becca once again took hold of the wagon, pulling it along.

When the twins started whimpering a bit, Clementine offered them the rattle again. "Can you two share this?"

Aleena grabbed at the toy, keeping it to herself, causing her twin to cry a bit.

"Leena, share with Crystal…" Clementine said.

Aleena just cooed, shaking the rattle happily.

Clementine sighed, searching for a couple other toys she offered one to AJ and to Crystal.

Aleena's attention was caught by the other toys and she reached for Crystal's toy.

"Play with your rattle, Leena. You like your rattle." Clementine spoke to her daughter.

"Why do you talk to them like they can understand you?" Becca asked.

"Because they can. Christa said so." Clementine answered.

"Christa said a lot of things. I doubt they understand a word you're saying." Becca stated.

Clementine looked to Aleena who was once again shaking the rattle, "You sure about that?"

Becca just rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Kenny, I made some soup." Christa spoke to the quiet man. "You didn't eat anything last night."

Kenny didn't bother responding.

"I know you got a lot on your mind, but you have to eat something." Christa said.

"What's the point…?" Kenny grumbled. "I ain't hungry. Don't think I'll ever be hungry again."

"The point is you can't starve yourself. You want to find the kids, don't you?" Christa asked.

"Of course, I do, but maybe they're better off without me. It's not like I can protect them." Kenny responded bitterly.

"Kenny, knock it off." Christa pleaded. "You can't keep this up. We just have to keep looking for them…"

"Sure…" Kenny muttered.

Christa could tell from his behavior that the man had no hope of finding them.

* * *

"Would you knock it off already?" Becca groaned.

Sarah had been complaining and it was starting to annoy the other teen.

"But my feet really hurt…" Sarah said.

"Well, deal with it. You don't hear Clementine or Danielle crying. And Clem's the one on the crutches." Becca pointed out.

"Can't we just take a short break?" Sarah asked.

"I guess that wouldn't hurt." Clementine said.

"We can't take a break every time someone's feet hurt, or the twins need a diaper change. We need to keep going." Becca said.

"If my kids need a diaper change, I'm going to change them. I don't want them getting a rash." Clementine stated.

"That's all fine and dandy, but it's really slowing us down." Becca said. "So just shut up and come on."

The group continued walking, before suddenly they heard snarls from the woods.

"Shit, we gotta run!" Becca said. "Hurry!"

They picked up the pace without protest.

* * *

They were all shaken up by the events that just occurred. Clementine found herself struggling to keep her legs from giving out throughout their run from the walkers. Having finally lost them, she was relieved. Feeling disheveled they continued their walk, searching for some kind of shelter.

They walked the entire day and were exhausted. Sarah complained once again that her feet ached only to be told to "shut up" by Becca.

They would only stop briefly when one of the babies needed a changing or a feeding. They would wait while Clementine tended to the babies, while Becca grumbled about how they needed to keep moving.

Clementine was starting to get irritated with Becca's constant nagging. She did her best to respond to Becca's crude statements with equanimity, but that only would make Becca angrier.

So, Clementine opted to ignore the older girl.

They walked for what seemed like hours before finding a cottage.

They debated on moving on or checking the place out. They stood in silence a few meters away from the cottage. The windows to the front of the place had been barricaded, and upon checking the back, it seemed the same had been done.

"Someone's been here..." Clementine mumbled, taking in the condition of the place.

"Well, let's see if they're still here." Becca said.

There wasn't a sound around them. The silence however, unnerved more than calmed them.

"I could probably pick the lock, if I had a nail or something..." Becca looked to Danielle and spoke, "Danielle, do you have any hair pins?"

"Umm..." Danielle took a moment to check her pockets. "Yeah..."

"Give them here." Becca said, two of them.

Danielle obliged, handing two bobby pins over. "They might be too flimsy."

"It's worth a try." Becca said. Becca took the hair pins and proceeded to pick the lock.

They waited a few moments, wondering if it would work.

Clementine held her breath as the door clicked. She wouldn't be surprised if the whole place was full of walkers.

Becca slowly pushed the door open, stepping inside first, Clementine and Danielle were close by, with Sarah taking up the rear, pulling the wagon along with her. The smell wasn't as bad as they expected it to be. The house opened into a living room, with a dainty kitchen attached to one side. It was a mess.

They waited while Becca stood in the doorway scanning what she could see.

Clementine's body was taut as they went through the room. Her heart was slamming in her chest as she scanned the rooms for any sign that they weren't alone.

They were all on high alert.

The cottage they found was a poor place of refuge. It was small and old. Bullet holes decorated the walls, along with some blood. Furniture was overturned, some destroyed. The old tired house was very dark and dingy and the furnishings that remained in decent shape were shabby and worn.

It wasn't exactly super secure either, but for them, it was better than nothing.

Making sure the kitchen and living room were clear, they locked the front and back door, to prevent anyone from sneaking up on them.

"Let's check the rest of this place." Becca said. "Sarah, you're with me. Clem and Dani, you're together."

"What about the babies?" Clementine asked.

"They'll be fine. Safer in here at least." Becca said. "The doors are locked, no one can come in."

Clementine hesitated but nodded. "Mommy will be right back." She said to her girl. "Be good, AJ…" The girl the placed Promise beside the wagon, "Look out for them, Promise."

Becca shook her head at that but said nothing.

They then split up to check the bedroom, Sarah and Becca check one, as Clementine and Danielle checked another.

The bedrooms were probably worst. People had torn holes in walls, probably looking for hidden supplies. The master bedroom was clear for the most part. Sarah checked under the bed before carefully peeking into the closet. The closet was packed with old clothing, and thankfully clear of any bodies.

Becca meanwhile checked the attached bathroom, eyes going wide when she noticed a body in the bathtub, a bloodied knife on the side of the tub was clearly the cause of death, judging by the cuts on the woman's arms- but a bullet hole was through the head, meaning someone must've already shot it.

Becca left the bathroom and noticed Sarah staring at the bedroom door. The door was bloodied and was barely hanging from the hinges.

"Sarah?" Becca called.

Sarah jumped and turned to face the other teen. "Y-Yes?"

"We're all clear in here?" Becca asked.

Sarah quickly nodded.

"Alright… We got a body in the bathroom. Help me drag it out." Becca said.

Sarah felt sick at the mere thought. "Can… Can you ask Danielle? Or Clementine?"

Becca shot her a look of annoyance. "Don't be a baby. Just help me."

Sarah frowned but followed the other teen into the bathroom. She nearly gagged from the smell around them.

Sarah felt her heart clench at the sight. "D-Did she…?"

"From the looks of it, she killed herself… but someone already put her down." Becca said.

Sarah frowned; Becca talked about it as if this woman had been some animal…

"You grab it's arms, I'll get the legs. On three." Becca said.

Sarah wasn't ready at all.

"One, two, three."

The two girls picked the corpse up and started to haul it out of the bathroom.

"W-What do we do with it?" Sarah asked.

"We're gonna toss it outside." Becca simply replied.

* * *

Clementine frowned as she noticed what clearly used to be a young child's room. Maybe a preschool aged kid, judging by the drawings on the floor.

She noticed the blanket on the bed was stained with dry blood along with some blood splatter on the wall nearest to the bed. However, there was no sign of the body.

"What do you think happened to the kid?" Clementine asked.

"I… I don't know… It's sad to think about…" Danielle said.

"Yeah… It is…" Clementine agreed.

"…I just hope whatever happened, doesn't happen to us." Danielle mumbled.

Clementine didn't respond to that.

The two girls continued checking the room, before checking the hallway bathroom. All clear.

They headed back to the living room, where Sarah and Becca had just managed to drag the corpse to.

"We're gonna toss her outside." Becca informed. "Did you two find anything?"

"The room was clear. There wasn't anyone in there." Danielle said.

"Alright…" Becca said. "You two stay put… Keep an eye on the babies." She unlocked the door before she and Sarah continued to move the body.

The two tossed the body into the woods before heading back to the cottage. On the way back to two noticed a small makeshift grave marker with the name "Judy" carved into it.

"Oh man…" Becca mumbled. "Fuck…"

"Who… Who do you think Judy was?" Sarah asked.

"Honestly, it's probably best if we don't know." Becca replied.

Sarah just frowned as she walked back to the cottage. She was sick of all the death.

* * *

Two hours had passed since they had arrived at the cottage.

They locked all the windows and doors to be safe. They were surprised that they only found one body in the house, but after disposing of the corpse, they decided to clean the place up a bit.

It took two hours to for them to clean the kitchen and living room to the best of their ability. Now with that work done- at least for the moment- they settled down on the couch. Like everything else in the cottage, the couch was worn and ripped, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable.

They managed to scrounge up some canned soup for dinner.

And Clementine focused on nursing the twins and feeding AJ. "Come on, goofball. Eat up."

AJ's response was not what she expected it to be. AJ turned his head away.

"Alvie, you gotta eat. Come on." Clementine said, trying again to spoon some soup into his mouth.

AJ whimpered in response turning away again.

"Here comes the airplane." Clementine held the spoon and made it soar slowly like a plane towards AJ's mouth.

AJ once again turned his head away.

Clementine sighed in defeat. "Why won't you eat, goofball?"

"Maybe he's not hungry." Sarah said.

"Well he still has to eat something." Clementine replied.

"Why don't you just make him a bottle or something?" Becca suggested.

"I guess that's our best bet." Clementine said. "You want a bottle, AJ?"

AJ babbled a bit in response.

Sarita and Christa had been teaching him infant sign language and Clementine noticed AJ sign "milk".

Clementine checked her bag for the formula. There was only one can. "Do we have more formula?"

"I grabbed this one, it's almost empty though..." Sarah said.

"Shit..." Clementine said.

"What?" Becca asked.

"This isn't gonna last long." Clementine said with a sigh.

"Well, when it runs out you can give him something else." Becca shrugged.

"Like what?" Clementine questioned.

"You'll figure something out." Becca simply said.

Clementine furrowed her brows at that but started making AJ's bottle before handing it to the boy. She was relieved when AJ began drinking it.

Clementine picked up the twins to rock them to sleep, having already fed them. She had already put Aleena's mask on, despite the baby crying when she did so. When both her daughters were asleep, she swaddled them, and she placed them in the wagon.

"We…. saw a grave outside…" Sarah suddenly spoke. "It said Judy on it… I wonder what happened to her…"

Clementine and Danielle exchanged looks.

"There's a kid's room… The bed had blood on it, like someone had been shot. Judy might have been that kid…" Danielle said.

"Damn… I guess that explains why that woman gave up…. Maybe that was her mother…" Becca said.

They tried to put together a story in their heads of what happened.

"Kid must've turned, the mom had to put the kid down, and… she couldn't go on herself after that." Becca continued.

"That's awful… I can't imagine going through that…" Clementine said.

"It happens too much now…" Danielle said.

"I'll never let that happen to my kids…." Clementine said.

"But the woman was shot… So, someone must've came through here." Becca said. "Probably scavengers… It doesn't look like anyone's been here for a long time."

"I hate scavengers…." Sarah said.

"We shouldn't get too comfortable. We still have a lot of work to do." Becca said.

* * *

After dinner they started to take inventory of whatever supplies they had. Clementine was holding AJ in her lap; the boy was nearly asleep.

"How long should we stay here?" Danielle wondered.

"I don't know. This place is pretty hidden away. I doubt many raiders come through here. If we barricade it, we won't have to leave for a while." Becca answered.

"You don't think we should move on at some point?" Clementine asked.

"And go where, Clementine?" Becca snorted.

"I... I don't know... Maybe we could find another town." Clementine suggested.

Becca rose a brow at that. "Are you stupid? There's no point in finding another town, it'll just get overran again."

"Wh-What about Kenny and Christa? Should we look for them?" Clementine asked.

"They're dead, Clem. They're dead." Becca sighed.

"You don't know that." Clementine argued. "We shouldn't just make assumptions."

"Oh, yeah? Then why didn't we find them? Why haven't they found us?" Becca asked. "There's no way they got out of that town."

"They're tough... They're not dead." Clementine said.

"Being tough doesn't make you invincible. At some point everyone's luck has to run out. And if we go back out there, it could be our turn to die." Becca said.

"I... I just don't think we should jump to conclusions." Clementine replied.

"You're an idiot. And I'm not gonna argue with you." Becca said. "I'm going to bed."

* * *

"Mom?!" The boy shot up right. Gill yelped as fresh pain seized his torso.

Everything was a blur for a moment.

"Take it easy. You were shot..." Christa spoke, urging the boy to lay back down.

Gill did so, frowning as memories flooded through him. "...Where's Clem? I... I wanted to apologize."

"...Apologize for what?" Christa asked.

"For pushing her..." Gill muttered, looking remorseful.

"Pushing? You pushed my girl?" Christa inquired.

"I... didn't mean to. I just wanted to find my mom... I wasn't even thinking..." Gill admitted a bit sheepishly. "Where is she? I need to say sorry."

"She's... She's not here..." Christa finally said.

"Wh-What?"

"She's not here, Gill. She's…gone." Christa frowned. It was hard for her to say that her girl was gone.

"Is… Is she dead?" Gill asked.

"…I don't know…" Christa said honestly. No point in lying to the boy.

"What about Danielle? And Sarah, and Becca, where are they?" Gill asked.

Christa just shook her head, "We couldn't find them…"

"Oh gosh…." Gill frowned. "I… don't feel so good…"

"Try to get some rest kid." Christa said.

"I don't know if I can…" Gill mumbled. "Do… Do you think my mom's dead too…?"

Christa paused for a moment.

Gill spoke again before she could. "You don't have to answer… I'm sure you don't know…"

"I'm sorry, kid…" Christa said.

"Me too…" Gill muttered.

* * *

Clementine jerked awake, sweating despite the cold of the room.

She sat up, head aching. Just a nightmare.

Her heartbeat tamed itself.

"Clem, are you okay? You were crying in your sleep." Danielle said.

Clementine didn't get to answer before Becca spoke.

"Ugh, it reeks in here." Becca said, covering her nose.

"I... I think I had an accident…." Clementine admitted in a small, barely audible voice.

"You think? Wait, you pissed yourself?" Becca asked. "Gross."

"It was an accident. I didn't do it on purpose." Clementine frowned, feeling embarrassed. She just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"Doesn't make it any less gross." Becca said. "I guess I'll call you bedwetter from now on."

"That's not nice. She said it was an accident." Sarah said. "There's some fresh clothes in the closet, Clem."

"I have clothes. Clementine took some baby wipes and went into one of the bedrooms to wipe herself down and change.

Once the girl returned to the room, Becca immediately asked, "Do you usually wet the bed?"

Clementine felt her cheeks redden as she lowered her gaze, feeling ashamed. "No... It only happens after a really bad dream."

"So, it's happened multiple times. You really are a bedwetter?" Becca said.

Clementine frowned she wished Christa was here. The woman always helped her after a nightmare, and she didn't judge her for having accidents. "I'm not a bedwetter."

"Yes, you are." Becca said.

"Becca stop it." Sarah said.

"What, I'm not saying anything that's not true. If she pisses herself, she's a bedwetter." Becca said.

"Don't listen to her Clem. She's being a bully." Danielle went over to her teary-eyed friend and hugged her.

Clementine didn't return the embrace. She felt dirty. Danielle shouldn't be hugging her.

"Whatever." Becca shrugged. "Let's just go back to sleep."

Danielle broke the hug and laid down beside Clementine.

"Are you sure you wanna sleep near me? I might have another accident." Clementine whispered.

"You won't. And if you do, it's called an accident for a reason. I'll know you didn't do it on purpose." Danielle said.

Clementine felt a tear leak from her eye at her friend's kindness. "Thanks Dani..."

* * *

"Do you know how to feed them?" Clementine asked her friends the next morning, gesturing towards the babies.

"Uh, that's your job, Fruity Pebbles." Becca replied.

Clementine knitted her brows at the name, "Fruity Pebbles?"

"That's what kids back at the school nicknamed you." Becca said.

Clementine frowned at that. Those kids had nicknamed her numerous things. "I don't want to talk about them. Anyway, we should all know how to feed them. Just in case I couldn't do it. If anything happened and I wasn't around."

"Well, I don't." Becca shrugged.

"If you paid attention, you would. AJ's supposed to have three cups of milk a day. Unfortunately, we don't have any whole milk, so we'll have to make do with toddler formula. It has the vitamins he needs in it. He can also eat finger foods now. He should ideally have three meals and two snacks, but we'll do the best we can with what we got." Clementine said.

"Okay..." Danielle said. "What about the twins?"

"They're still only nursing for now. Christa and I wanted to start them on baby food next month. But I might give it an early go and see what they think." Clementine said.

"So, no formula for the twins." Danielle nodded.

"I don't give them formula because Crystal's allergic to it. I'll make sure to keep their bottles full though." Clementine explained.

"Alright. So... that being said. We'll leave the baby feeding to you." Becca said.

"Of course..." Clementine rolled her eyes.

"On that note, since our meeting is adjourned, I'm gonna head out for a bit." Becca said as she stood.

"Where are you going?" Clementine asked.

"To take a look around the area. We should get familiar with our surroundings." Becca said.

"I can come too." Danielle said, standing as well. "You shouldn't go alone. Will you be okay here, Clem?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Clementine said. "Sarah's here with me."

"Okay." Danielle said.

"You two just be careful." Clementine said.

"We will." Danielle reassured her friend.

"This place is awesome. There's a river not far from here. So, we can wash up and fish. We'll never run out of water." Becca said.

"I really like it here. Even if it's kind of small." Sarah said.

"We're lucky we found this. This place could be a long-term solution for us. We should stay." Becca said.

"Hold on, what about Christa and Kenny?" Clementine asked.

"What about them? If they're alive they have a better chance of finding us than we have of finding them. We found this place for a reason. We can't just give that up." Becca said.

"It looks like the cabin Clem and I were at. I mean, it reminds me of it." Sarah said.

"The cabin?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah, we were there with my dad, and Luke, Nick, Pete, Rebecca and Alvin..." Sarah said. "Don't you remember?"

Clementine was silent for a few moments. She was starting to recall details of the cabin. She remembered being locked in the shed, breaking out and stealing supplies to fix her arm. She remembered Rebecca and Carlos threatening her. She remembered fishing with Nick and Pete only to be attacked by walkers. And lastly, she remembered meeting William Carver... The man who forced them to flee from the cabin, only to follow them and keep the captive. The man who abused and broke her to satisfy his own sick desires. The man who claimed she belonged to him and called her his "queen". She felt disgusted when she thought of him.

"Clem?" Sarah asked. "You remember, right?"

"...Yeah... I remember..." Clementine muttered. She wished she didn't have to.

* * *

"You're awake." Christa said as she noticed the boy's eyes flutter open. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah. I'm starving..." Gill said, slowly sitting up.

"I bet." Christa said. "How are you feeling?"

"It still hurts..." Gill said, touching the wound lightly. "But better than yesterday."

"That's good. It's gonna hurt for a while, but you're healing." Christa said.

"Yeah... I... I miss my mom..." Gill suddenly muttered. "My mom was the only family I had left... I can't believe she's gone."

"I know how you feel, kid..." Christa said.

"How long was I out?" Gill asked.

"A few hours." Christa answered as she scooped up some soup and offered it to the boy.

"Hours?"

Christa nodded. "You probably really needed the rest."

Gill agreed. He glanced over to Kenny who was sitting alone away from the fire. "Is he going to be okay."

"He's lost a lot of people. This is all really hard on him." Christa explained to the boy. "He's grieving."

"It's hard on everyone." Gill said. "I feel bad for everyone who died..."

"...At least they don't have to suffer anymore." Christa said.

"What happened was horrible... I never wanna see anything like that again." Gill said.

"Hopefully you never will." Christa replied.

* * *

"Patricia, you can't be serious." One of the survivors, Frank said.

"I'm dead serious, Frank. My son has to be out there somewhere." Patricia said.

"We put together a search team and had them go through town, we didn't find anyone." Frank said.

"He could've been hiding. He wouldn't just be out in the open. He would have taken cover. Wellington was a big camp." Patricia said. "I gotta look and see if he's there."

"You can't just go back on your own." Frank said.

"I have to find my boy. That's the only thing that's important to me." Patricia said.

"You're not fully healed yet." Frank frowned.

"Gill, is my only concern right now. I'll rest when I know he's safe... I need to see for myself." Patricia said.

"So what's your plan?" Frank asked.

"I don't know… I just… I'm gonna go find my boy." Patricia said.

* * *

Dinner that night was beef stew. Clementine tried getting AJ to eat a little, but he seemed disinterested. The girl ended up making him a bottle and giving him some crackers which he munched on. Clementine was concerned that he wasn't eating properly. At his age he should be eating more solid foods, his diet was already not the best for a growing toddler, but she knew she had to make do with what they had.

She sighed as she handed him his sippy cup, and he began drinking from it.

Clementine made sure to feed the twins before sitting them down to play. Once AJ had finished drinking, she offered him a few toys as well, but the boy wasn't in a playful mood. "What's wrong, Goofball?" Clementine asked. "Don't you want to play. Or maybe, do you want to color?"

Clementine offered him a crayon and some paper. AJ accepted the crayon and made a few scribbles on the paper, but he wasn't enthusiastic about it as usual. "Want me to guess what you're drawing?"

AJ looked to her and nodded.

"Yes? Can you say yes?" Clementine said.

AJ just babbled in response.

"Okay, I guess you're not ready to talk yet. That's okay…" Clementine said. "Let's see…. Are you drawing a doggy?"

AJ smiled and made some gibberish noises.

"It is a doggy?" Clementine smiled back. "That's a great doggy, Goofball."

"Muh… Muh, ma, ma, ma…"

Clementine's eyes widened at the noise and she looked to see Aleena babbling. Clementine beamed and looked to her daughter. "Are you trying to say "mama"?"

Aleena gave her a toothless smile reaching to her. Clementine scooped the baby up in her arms. "Can you say mama, Crystal?"

Crystal gave her a curious look, her focus shifting from the toy she had been putting in her mouth.

"Say mama, can you say mama?" Clementine asked again.

Aleena's babbling continued, simple sounds that Clementine couldn't understand.

Clementine urged the twins some more. "Say mama, girls. Say mama."

"Muh!" Crystal finally said. "Ma!"

Clementine felt her heart warm. A smile crossed her lips. "Mama loves you, girls." She then looked to AJ who was looking back at her. "I love you too, Goofball."

* * *

Getting the twins to sleep was so much harder than Clementine remembered it being before. Clementine would make sure Aleena had her oxygen machine on, then rock her infants to sleep, but the two were restless, and every time she laid one of the girls down the other would want to pop up.

Clementine was exhausted herself when she finally got them to fall asleep. "Alright, AJ, time to go night-night."

Clementine motioned for AJ, who had been playing with a couple blocks, to come over. The toddler stood and made his way to her.

Clementine hadn't expected the responsibility of caring for all three kids to fall on her alone. But apparently it had. The others didn't know what to do and would just leave the baby care to her.

Which meant, Clementine was losing more sleep than ever before. She loved caring for the kids, but it didn't mean it was an easy job.

Every now and then the others would hold one of the babies or offer to feed one of them so Clementine could eat or use the restroom, but diaper changes and bedtime routines all fell on Clementine.

"Alright, Goofball, wanna hear a story?" Clementine asked, allowing the boy to sit in her lap. She looked through the pile of books they had gathered from the house, she had separated the little children's books. She grabbed one of the board books and proceeded to read it to AJ, changing her voice for different characters. "…The end. Alright. Eyes closed, buddy. It's sleepy time."

AJ followed her directions, closing his eyes. And before long he was out like a light.

"Goodnight, Goofball." Clementine whispered, kissing his forehead before laying him down.

"They're so cute." Sarah spoke up.

"Yeah, they can be… I'm glad the adults didn't make you have an abortion with the twins..."

"...Abortion?" Clementine repeated. The word felt familiar, but she couldn't recall what it meant.

"Yeah, the adults kept talking about it." Becca said

"What's an abortion?" Danielle asked.

"Basically, when a woman gets pregnant sometimes, she decides she doesn't want to have the baby and a doctor can perform a procedure that makes her not pregnant anymore." Becca said.

"What does the doctor do to the baby? Does the procedure hurt the baby?" Danielle asked.

"Well… the baby dies." Becca answered.

Danielle frowned at that. "Oh..."

Clementine flinched as memories flooded back to her. She recalled the continuous suggestions for her to have an abortion from her former group members. She remembered Jane taking her to the deck and trying to push her. She remembered the pills...

She felt nauseous suddenly.

"I remember them talking about trying to give you a coat-hanger abortion at some point. I think Bonnie suggested that to Carlos, but he said it was too dangerous." Becca said.

"What? What's a coat-hanger abortion? How would they even… do that?" Clementine asked.

"They would put a coat-hanger in your vagina and use it to abort the fetus." Becca told the younger girl.

Danielle and Sarah cringed, and Clementine gagged at the thought.

"How do you know this?" Clementine asked.

"The adults mentioned it, and I put two and two together." Becca said.

"Clem, are you okay?" Danielle asked, sending her friend a concerned look.

"I… I'm fine… We should get some rest." Clementine said. Though she wasn't fine. She felt ill.

"Okay…" Danielle said, still worried for Clementine.

"Try not to wet the bed tonight." Becca muttered.

Clementine sighed but didn't bother responding.

* * *

"You're still recovering from your injuries. Are you sure you can't just take it easy for a while?" Frank asked.

"I can't. Not if my boy's still out there." Patricia said.

"We don't want to lose you, Patricia. You should stay with us." Another former Wellington resident spoke, Deb.

"We're going to start over, let everyone recover here, and maybe try to find a farm or something, rebuild what we can there." An older woman said, Nancy.

"That… That would be amazing, but I can't rest until I know my son is safe." Patricia said.

"You have medical skills we could use. To help all these people." Frank said. "We need you…"

"And I'll come back to help. But my boy comes first." Patricia said.

"I guess there's no stopping you." Frank sighed.

"No… There's not." Patricia said.

"Wait, you can take one of the vans. You have a better chance of finding him if you're in a vehicle, instead of walking." Frank said.

"Are you sure?" Patricia asked.

"Certain." Frank nodded.

"I really appreciate the offer, but I can't just take the van… You guys might need it." Patricia said.

"Well in any case, just… Stay safe. And come back to us." Frank said.

"I will." Patricia replied.

* * *

"I'm thinking of going to the river tonight to try and catch some fish." Becca told Clementine.

"That sounds good to me." Clementine said.

"Sarah and Danielle, you two come help me." Becca said. "Will you be good here, Clem?"

"Uh... Yeah. I guess so." Clementine said. "The river's not far, right?"

"Not at all." Becca said.

"Then I'll be fine." Clementine replied.

"Are you sure? We shouldn't leave you by yourself." Danielle said.

"She said she'll be fine, Dani. Quit worrying." Becca said.

"I'll be okay… Just hurry back, please. And be careful." Clementine said.

"Okay. We'll be back before dark." Becca said.

Clementine nodded. "Please be lucky…"

* * *

"Let me take a look at that wound." Christa said as she took out the disinfected and some fresh bandages.

Gill sighed and allowed her to check his wound.

"I'm gonna clean it, okay." Christa said, removing his bandages to clean the wound.

"…Okay…" Gill said.

As Christa started to disinfect the wound he flinched, "Try to stay still."

"It burns…" Gill said. "How long will it take to stop hurting."

"Well, you only got shot a few days ago, so it's probably gonna hurt for a while. It'll take a few weeks to completely heal." Christa said. "Luckily, it didn't hit anything major."

"That's good." Gill said.

"…You know, my girl got shot before…" Christa suddenly said as she started rebandaging the wound.

"Clementine got shot?" Gill asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, she was pregnant at the time." Christa said.

"Wow… I guess there's not much she hasn't been through…" Gill said. The bravado the girl had never failed to impress him. "Clementine's the toughest person I know."

"Yeah. She's the toughest person I know too." Christa said. "That kid's one of a kind."

"She really is." Gill said with a small smile.

"…You like her, don't you?" Christa asked with a small smile of her own.

"Wh-What?" Gill sputtered. "I- I don't… Well maybe a little… But it doesn't matter. She doesn't like me…"

"How do you know?" Christa asked him.

Gill frowned and said, "Because she liked that Terrell guy… I never trusted him."

Christa finished bandaging his wound and then spoke. "Terrell manipulated her feelings. She didn't like him."

"She sure talked like she did." Gill said.

"She liked the attention." Christa said honestly. "We probably didn't give her enough of that…"

"I tried to give her attention…" Gill mumbled.

"I think Clem might have just been confused. And that's why she wanted to try to get the attention from an older guy…" Christa said.

"Oh…" Gill said. "I just… hope she's okay…"

"I hope so too, kid…" Christa sighed.

* * *

Clementine had been waiting for a while, anxiously she held onto Promise while the twins napped, and AJ toddled around the room. When she heard the door rattle, she jumped, "AJ, come here."

AJ followed her instruction, coming over.

Clementine held the toddler protectively, aiming her gun to the door.

The door soon opened to reveal her friends, Clementine sighed and lowered the weapon. "You're back! I was worried."

"Figured you were. You always worry too much." Becca said. "I'm glad you didn't shoot us though."

"We caught a bunch of fish, Clem." Sarah said.

"That's great. We're going to eat good tonight." Clementine beamed.

A while passed as they began cooking the fish. By the time it had finished cooking the twins were awake, Clementine fed the two girls before allowing them to play.

"Do you think AJ will like this?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know. AJ's never had fish before. This will be his first time eating it." Clementine said.

Becca served everyone their food and Clementine offered AJ a little bit.

AJ tasted it and Clementine asked, "What do you think, Goofball?"

AJ smiled, pointing to the fish, indicating that he wanted more.

"You want some more? Okay." Clementine went to give him another piece.

Suddenly she glanced to Becca and her eyes widened. "Becca, what are you doing?"

"Relax, Clem. She just wanted a taste." Becca said.

"They're too young for that, Becca! Stop!" Clementine exclaimed.

"I only gave her a small piece. And you can't make Crystal be left out. It's not fair if Aleena had a taste but she didn't." Becca said as if it was no big deal.

"They don't even have teeth, Becca. You can't just give them random food without my permission!" Clementine said.

"Relax, I know how to look after my Goddaughters. It's fine." Becca replied in a nonchalant manner.

"No. It's not fine. You can't just give my babies stuff." Clementine said.

Crystal reached tiny hands to Becca who said. "See, she wants a try too." Becca placed a tiny piece of fish in the infant's mouth.

"Becca! Stop! I said don't give them that!" Clementine snapped.

"A small piece isn't going to hurt them! Don't get your panties in a bunch." Becca scoffed. "I won't give them anymore."

Clementine went over to check her twins' mouths but both babies had already eaten the tiny pieces of fish.

"They wanted a try, so I gave them a try. Not a big deal." Becca said.

"Babies want everything. That doesn't mean you have to give it to them." Clementine huffed then went back to eating and feeding AJ, seeing as though her babies were okay.

"You said you were gonna start them on solid foods soon." Becca said.

"Soon. Not now. And I meant baby food. They don't even have teeth Becca, they could've choked." Clementine said.

"I didn't give them a big enough piece to choke. It was literally a pinch of fish." Becca argued, "Calm down."

"Just... don't do it again." Clementine said.

"Fine." Becca said.

Meanwhile Crystal kept sticking her tongue out and moments later the baby started coughing and wheezing. She was having difficulty breathing.

Clementine looked over to her daughters.

Aleena was cooing and biting at her hand, but Crystal was coughing. Clementine went over to Crystal picking the baby up. "Hey, are you okay, Crys?" Her baby seemed to be choking on air. Gasping and wheezing. "Crystal?" Clementine tried to pat the baby's back, but it didn't help.

Clementine quickly looked around grabbing her daughter's bottle and tried to get her to sip it. Crystal refused, choking and gasping more. Her baby couldn't breathe, and Clementine noticed how her face seemed to be a bit swollen and red, the infant was breaking out into hives. "Oh my God!"

"What wrong?" Sarah asked.

"What is it, Clem?" Danielle asked.

"She's- She's having an allergic reaction!" Clementine asked.

"Are you sure?" Becca asked, dread immediately hitting her.

"My friend from school, he was allergic to peanuts! I've seen it before!" Clementine said, making sure to keep her baby upright so she could breathe.

"Fuck, what do we do?" Becca asked, she felt guilty. She knew this was her fault.

"We need an epipen!" Clementine said.

"Maybe Edith packed one in the medicine bag." Danielle said. "I'll check."

Clementine held Crystal close, keeping her head upright so her baby could breath. She waited anxiously while Danielle searched through their medical equipment.

Aleena seemed to pick up on the fact that her sister wasn't okay and had begun crying.

Sarah tried to comfort the baby as AJ also started whimpering.

"Found it!" Danielle rushed over to Clementine and handed her the epipen.

"H-How do I used this?" Clementine inquired.

"Umm...Put it in her thigh." Sarah said.

"Her thigh?" Clementine asked.

Sarah nodded. "I can do it. My dad always said you give needles to babies in their thighs."

Sarah came over and took the epipen. Clementine quickly adjusted Crystal's outfit so that Sarah had access to Crystal's thigh. Sarah held Crystal's leg in place with her free hand, then placed the orange tip of the epipen to the side of the child's thigh and pressed until you feel and hear a click. She waited a few seconds before pulling away. Crystal began wailing and Clementine rocked the baby.

"It's okay. I got you. Mommy's got you." Clementine said.

* * *

"Becca?"

The older girl didn't respond. She had gone into the master bedroom and had been sitting silently all alone after the incident with Crystal.

"Becca, she's okay..." Clementine said. "She's just sleeping now."

"I could've killed her..." Becca frowned.

"She's okay… It scared us all, but she's okay." Clementine said.

"I'm a shitty Godmother…" Becca muttered.

"Don't say that… You didn't mean to hurt her…" Clementine said.

Clementine approached the older girl, giving her a hug. Becca tensed, feeling tears threaten to spill. She never cried.

"…I'm so, so sorry, Clem. I didn't know." Becca said.

"I know... I didn't either..." Clementine said.

* * *

Two days later they were starting to settle into a schedule. They would rotate turns on who took watch, they had meals at certain times of the day. They would take turns washing themselves. Clementine made sure AJ and the twins were tended to.

It was quiet as they sat in the living room. Sarah was reading a book. Danielle was playing with Flopsie, while Becca and Clementine took inventory of their supplies.

Clementine's gaze flickered toward her twins who were gurgling in the basket. Then she looked to AJ who was quietly staring at the door. AJ, who was normally a happy toddler was quieter and more subdued. He appeared withdrawn, not wanting to play or engage with anyone. He seemed overall sadden.

"Hey, Goofball, are you okay?" Clementine asked.

AJ didn't even look to her.

Clementine frowned. "I'm worried about AJ… He hasn't been eating much lately and he seems… sad."

"Maybe he's just not hungry." Becca said.

"No… I don't think it's that. I…I think he's depressed." Clementine said.

"He's a baby. Babies can't get depressed." Becca claimed.

"That's not true." Clementine said. "Christa said babies can feel a lot of different emotions."

"All babies do is eat, sleep, and poop. They have nothing to be depressed about." Becca said.

Clementine shook her head. She knew something wasn't right with AJ. He wasn't eating well. He would drink milk from his baby bottle and eat maybe a spoonful or two of food, but he refused to eat much beyond that. They were going to run out of formula in a few days, they couldn't just let him live off that.

"She said they react to other people's emotions too. Like, they can sense how people around them are feeling." Clementine said.

"Wouldn't he be crying if he was sad?" Becca said.

"I said I think he's depressed, not sad." Clementine did her best to elucidate. "Just because babies have limited ways to express their feelings doesn't mean they don't feel anything. They don't have to be crying to be sad. I really think he's depressed."

"Why would he be depressed, Clem? He's a baby?" Becca asked, still not convinced.

"I don't know. A lot happened these past few days. So, I wouldn't be surprised if he was depressed. Maybe he's missing Kenny and Christa." Clementine said. "Maybe we should think about going to find them."

"We're not going anywhere. We're staying here." Becca said.

"We can't stay here forever. We'll have to go eventually." Clementine said.

"We have everything we need here! How come you always have to complain?" Becca huffed, suddenly becoming agitated.

"I'm not complaining. I'm worried. We should at least try to find them…" Clementine said.

"Kenny and Christa are gone! They're not going to find us! So stop talking about them!" Becca snapped.

"Becca-"

Becca didn't allow her to get another word out, "Everyone is gone! Everyone we care about is gone and they're never coming back! Now quit being such an idiot."

"B-Becca," Clementine called again.

"Leave me alone, Clem." Becca said. "I need some air…"

* * *

"We should get a move on. We can't stay here forever." Christa spoke up, drawing Gill's attention.

"Where are we gonna go?" Gill asked, as he stood with some help from Christa.

"To hopefully find Clementine and the others…" Christa answered.

"What if we don't…?" Gill asked.

"We can only hope we do." Christa said.

"Okay…" Gill stood, looking over to Kenny. "He hasn't said anything in days…"

"I know… He's broken right now…" Christa frowned walking over to the man. "Kenny, come on. It's time to get moving."

Kenny kept quiet but slowly stood.

"Let's go…" Christa said.

* * *

Becca sat outside on the steps, head in her hands.

Clementine frowned as she stepped outside and approached the older girl. "Becca?"

"Shut up. I need to think." Becca's bluntly said.

Clementine wasn't shocked by her harsh tone. "I just wanted to check on you. Are you okay?"

"No, Clem! No, I'm not okay." Becca snapped, glaring at her. "Every single town I go to with you and Sarah, gets destroyed. I called you bad luck before, but I'm really starting to think it's true now."

Clementine was hurt by those words. "W-Why are you saying this?"

"Because we're going to die here." Becca said. "We're just prolonging the inevitable. We're gonna run out of supplies eventually."

"We can figure things out. We're not going to die." Clementine said.

"Just leave me alone, Clem. I want to be alone." Becca replied.

"…Okay…"

Becca stayed quiet until Clementine spoke again.

"Keep being like this… Keep being bitter and mean, we'll see where that gets you." Clementine said.

"You fucking brat." Becca shot the girl a look. "Get the hell out of my face."

"Gladly." Clementine turned and headed back into the house.

* * *

Patricia had spent an entire day and a half searching through the woods for her boy, with no luck. Exhausted, she returned back to that camp, she was ready to accept the offer for the van, which she had initially refused.

She just hoped and prayed that Gill was safe and alive. That she would find him and be able to be with her son once more.

"Any luck?" Frank asked.

"None…" Patricia frowned. "I looked around the woods, but I couldn't find him."

"What's your plan now?" Frank questioned.

"I'm… gonna go back to Wellington, See if he's there." Patricia said.

"We told you we check that place. There were no other survivors." Frank replied.

"My boy has to be alive. He has to be…" Patricia said. "I'm gonna check…And… And-"

"And if he's not there? Then what?" Frank said.

"Then I'll keep looking until I find him." Patricia said.

"Patricia…." Frank hesitated and then said, "Maybe you need to accept the reality…."

"The reality of what?" Patricia asked.

"The reality of the fact that your boy might not be alive…" Frank sighed.

"He has to be alive. I know he is. My boy is smart." Patricia said, feeling offended by his words. "He's out there somewhere, I just have to find out where."

"Well, you should at least rest up… No point of going out there exhausted." Frank said.

"You're right. I'll head out first thing tomorrow." Patricia said. "…Does your offer still stand for that van."

Frank nodded, "It's not going nowhere, unless you want it."

"Please…"

"Be my guest." Frank said.

"Thank you." Patricia said.

* * *

There was a growing tension between Clementine and Becca, that both Sarah and Danielle noticed.

Becca had in her mind that she was in charge, she saw herself as the leader and every time Clementine bucked against her orders, it clearly pissed her off.

She would respond to Clementine with such acrimony that it made them all uncomfortable.

Her anger for Clementine would often manifests itself through harsh words.

Danielle had realized long ago that Becca could be a very moody and petulant person, but she seemed to revel in picking on Clementine.

The back and forth between the two girls made Sarah and Danielle feel uneasy.

Danielle hated how brusque and impatient Becca could be, especially towards Clementine.

The tension between the two girls only seemed to increase as the days passed.

"Why are you sucking your thumb all the time? You're sucking your thumb the same time as your babies. Are you ever gonna stop?" Becca said.

"Why does it matter to you? It's not like it's hurting anyone." Clementine mumbled.

"Shouldn't it embarrass you? You suck your thumb all of the time." Becca said. "And you're a mother, why are you sucking you thumb?"

"Just leave me alone. I can do whatever I want." Clementine said.

"Alright, you brat. I don't care." Becca shrugged.

Clementine narrowed her eyes at the girl. "If you don't care, don't bring it up. Just leave me alone from now on."

"Alright, I'll leave you be, Betsy Wetsy." Becca said.

Danielle spoke up before Clementine could, "That's not funny, Becca. Seriously, leave her alone."

"It's not funny. It's true! She has all this damn mouth, but she can't hold her damn bladder and she sucks her thumb like a baby." Becca said.

"You don't understand! I suck my thumb because it makes me feel better, so stop teasing me!" Clementine snapped. "Leave me alone!"

"Whatever, all I know is you're a thumb-sucker and a bedwetter!" Becca teased.

Clementine did her best to ignore those words, but they hurt. Keeping her thumb in her mouth Clementine clutched tightly to Promise, trying her best to calm herself down. She had to keep telling herself not to cry, that would just be one more thing Becca would tease her about.

* * *

Patricia slowly drove past the remains of the gates the used to protect Wellington. Her heart sunk as she parked the vehicle, knowing it would be hard to get past the bodies on the street.

The fires had stopped burning, but the buildings were

She began walking through the town, with hopes of finding her little boy. As she walked through the town, she took in the aftermath of the attack. It was a horrible sight- one she could hardly bear to look at. Building were destroyed, dry blood covered the town.

Patricia frowned, she just had to focus on finding Gill.

She just had the feeling he was alive. She knew he had to be, and she wouldn't give up until she found him.

* * *

"Do... you think this is Wellington…?" Russell asked as they stood in front of the ruined remains of a town.

"I don't know…" Luke said.

"Did you seriously drag us to a destroyed town?" Russell huffed.

"Wasn't this place supposed to be safe? It doesn't look very safe to me..." Wyatt said.

"It looks like something horrible happened here." Vince said.

"Look, I don't know what happened, but we… should still check it out… Clem might have been here… Or someone could know where she's at." Luke said.

"What if she's still here? Just not alive..." Bonnie mumbled.

"She's not dead. Now stop talking like that." Luke retorted. "That kid is fine."

"Luke, we can't be for sure." Bonnie said.

"If you don't want to help me, don't. I'll look for them myself." Luke replied before walking past the remains of the gate.

Wyatt groaned as Russell shook his head.

"This guy is gonna get us all killed…" Wyatt muttered.

* * *

"Do you think we can take a break soon? My feet are starting to hurt…" Gill spoke up.

"Sure. I should clean your wound anyway." Christa said.

"Again?" Gill groaned. "It really stings when you do that."

"Well it's either that or an infection. And I think we'd all rather not let you get an infection." Christa said.

"Yeah, okay…" Gill gave in.

"We're never gonna find them…" Kenny suddenly grumbled, rubbing his good eye.

Gill was surprised, he hadn't heard the bearded man speak for days.

"You don't know that, Kenny. We gotta stay positive." Christa said to the man.

"Like being positive ever did shit for anyone." Kenny huffed than walked away to sit down.

"Ignore him… He's just upset right now…" Christa said to Gill.

"I know… He's been upset for a long time…" Gill said.

"He lost Sarita… He's mourning right now…" Christa explained to the boy.

"I lost my mom too… It doesn't mean he has to be so… angry…" Gill said. "It's a little scary."

"People have different ways of coping with things, kid." Christa told him.

"Yeah, mom always told me that." Gill said with a nod.

"Here, let's clean that wound." Christa said.

"Okay." Gill agreed.

* * *

"This place is huge. If we're gonna find anything maybe, we should split up." Bonnie suggested.

"Are you sure that's smart?" Vince asked. "Shouldn't we stick together?"

"I think it's the best option. It doesn't look like anyone's here." Bonnie said. "Well, at least no one who's alive. As long as we don't go far, we'll be okay."

"That's fine with me. We can split up. We'll just meet back here." Luke said.

Vince sighed. "Alright, no one go too far. We meet back here in ten minutes, got it."

The others nodded in agreement.

They walked toward different directions, searching destroyed remains of buildings for any sign of their former group members.

As Luke entered one of the houses and began looking around, he suddenly felt the cold steel of a gun pressed to the back of his head.

He inwardly cursed to himself for not hearing anyone approaching behind him.

"Don't move." A woman's voice spoke.

"I don't want any trouble." Luke said.

"Neither do I…" The woman replied.

Luke scoffed. "That's funny coming from the woman with a gun to my head."

"I'm sure you'd do the same thing if it were the other way around." The woman said, "Put your hands up, and turn to face me slowly. Don't do anything stupid."

Luke did as she said, slowly turning to face her, not making any sudden movements. The last thing he wanted was a bullet in his head.

She kept the gun on him and patted him down for weapons.

"What do you want? You wanna rob me?" Luke asked. "It's not worth it, Miss. I ain't got shit on me."

The woman raised the gun, shutting him up. "I'm looking for my son."

Luke was surprised by that. "Your son?"

"A thirteen-year-old boy… Have you seen him?" She asked.

"I… I haven't seen anyone around here but you." Luke admitted.

"Damn it…" The woman huffed.

"I'm... a parent too..." Luke said. "I'm looking for my kids as well..."

"You have kids?" The woman asked.

"Two little girls. Twins." He wondered if he should say their names but decided against it. If this woman, by any small chance, knew Clementine, she would know the twins as Clementine's kids. Learning that he was their father would only give her a reason to put a bullet in him, and he knew he wouldn't be able to explain the situation before she did.

Her eyes softened and she lowered her gun.

"We were hoping to find them here..." Luke said.

"We...?"

"I have a group with me..." Luke answered.

"Well... You might as well, keep looking... This place was attacked a few days ago. A lot of folks died." The woman told him.

"Oh God..." Luke muttered.

"I hope your girls weren't among them..." The woman said. "I hope you find them."

Luke felt lost for words, his heart clenching at the thought. As the woman turned to walk away, he called to her. "Wait,"

The woman halted her movement.

"Maybe... Maybe you could stick with us. I'm sure my girls are still out there. Maybe you could help us find them, and we could help you find your boy." Luke suggested.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, I'd rather not group up with strangers." The woman said. "I hope you understand."

Luke couldn't blame her considering that her town was just attacked.

"Good luck finding your daughters." The woman said.

"T-Thanks... Good luck finding your boy."

"Thank you." Luke said.

* * *

Luke headed to the meet up spot not too long after the woman had left. He was upset that he hadn't found anyone from their former group, he hoped they were still alive.

"Luke, did you find anything?" Vince asked as he spotted the young man.

"I… met someone." Luke admitted.

"What?" Russell asked.

"What do you mean you met someone?" Wyatt questioned.

"There was a woman here…" Luke said. "She… She snuck up on me and-"

"And you just let her go?" Russell inquired.

"She wasn't looking for trouble. She's searching for her son." Luke said.

"For all you know she could be with the people who did this..." Russell said.

"I think she thought the same about me." Luke said.

"You told her how many of us were here?" Russell asked sounding worried.

"No, just that I had a group..." Luke answered.

"Fuck, you can't go around blabbing to every stranger you meet!" Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, calm down." Vince said.

"I'm not gonna calm down, he's gonna get us killed." Wyatt said.

"She had the opportunity to shoot me. But she didn't." Luke replied. "And I didn't tell her anything important. I just told her we were looking for my daughters."

"You're too trusting, Luke. Too fucking trusting. You're gonna get yourself and the rest of us killed." Wyatt huffed.

Luke didn't bother responding.

"Come on. We need to get the fuck out of here before they come back thinking they need to pick off any survivors." Wyatt said.

The group left the town in silence.

* * *

Patricia frowned as she got in the van. Gill wasn't there and she had no clue where else to look. He could be anywhere.

She was surprised by that strangers offer to join him, but she couldn't trust him. Especially after what happened recently. He could be one of the the people who attacked the town in the first place.

And as much as she hoped for him to find his daughters, if his words were true, her only focus was on finding Gill. She wasn't ready to give up yet.

She needed to find her boy. He needed her. And she needed him.

* * *

"We're out of formula." Clementine's voice sound urgent and worried.

"What?" Becca asked, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She was curious on why the girl had woken them up early the next morning.

"We're out of formula. And I told you AJ hasn't been eating much of anything else. We need to do something." Clementine said.

"Nurse him or something." Becca replied in a straight-forward tone.

"Wh-What?" Clementine stammered.

"What's wrong with nursing him? He's a baby. That's how babies eat." Becca said.

"No... It's not that..." Clementine's face reddened a bit.

"Then what?" Becca asked.

"He's not my...son." Clementine said.

"So? His mother's dead." Becca said.

"Becca!" Sarah gasped.

"It's true... Rebecca's gone, and if Clem doesn't want AJ to starve, she'll feed him." Becca said.

"Of course I don't want him to starve!" Clementine said.

"Then nurse him." Becca said.

Clementine paused for a moment.

"Rebecca looked after you in the pen. You should feel some kind of obligation to keep her son alive. No one else can feed him, but you." Becca said.

"I love AJ. I would never let him die." Clementine said.

"Prove it." Becca said.

Clementine paused for a minute before looking to Danielle, "Can you... get me the breast pump?"

Danielle nodded and went to check the bag for the pump.

"You're gonna make him wait, just feed him like you do the girls." Becca said.

"...Fine." Clementine said, but still seemed hesitant.

"There's nothing weird about it, Clem. People donate milk all the time." Sarah spoke up. "And if you want to pump, I'm sure AJ can wait."

"I…"

"Here, Crystal still has a full bottle." Danielle said, handing her Crystal bottle. "You can just refill it later…"

"Thank you, Dani." Clementine said.

"Of course." Danielle said, sensing how awkward her friend felt about the situation and knowing that Becca only made things worse.

"Here, Goofball." Clementine offered the boy the bottle, which AJ accepted. Clementine was still worried about the boy. She wondered if his mood change was due to him missing Kenny and Sarita…

* * *

AJ quickly grew an attachment to Clementine. He would cry whenever the girl wasn't in the same room with him. Or if anyone else held him and he wasn't in a happy mood.

Clementine knew that breastfeeding created a strong bond between a caretaker and a child, she wondered if that cause her and AJ's bond to suddenly change. She had always loved being with him, but now she felt strong maternal feelings towards him. More so then before. Now his cries, just like her little girls, had begun to give her anxiety. And being away from him or the twins for too long, made her nervous. She and AJ both developed a separation anxiety when it came to one another.

She would protect those kids with her life.

However, sometimes, much like today, she felt like she needed a break. "I'm so tired. I feel like I'm the only one who looks after the babies."

"Well two of them are yours so it's kind of your job." Becca asked. "Actually, it's completely your job. We have roles here, Clem. Your role is stay at home mom. Meaning you watch the children, clean, and complain."

Clementine couldn't tell if the older girl was joking or not. "That's not all I'm good for. I can help."

"Really? You haven't been much help as of recent. Maybe when you get rid of those crutches you can help." Becca said.

Clementine didn't get the chance to respond before Danielle snapped, "You need to stop hurting Clem!"

"How am I hurting her? I never put my hands on her." Becca said.

"I mean hurting her feelings." Danielle said.

"Dani, it's okay." Clementine said.

"No, it's not okay. It's not right for her to treat you this way." Danielle shook her head.

"It was a joke. It's not my fault she's too sensitive." Becca scoffed. "Does anyone have a sense of humor around here?"

"Well it wasn't a very funny joke. Clem's been doing a lot of work. Things have been tough on all of us. And the bullying is just making it harder for her. So, I'm asking you to please stop. Stop teasing her. Stop hurting her feelings. And stop making my friend cry. Because last time I checked all we have left is each other. We're in this together. And it hurts me to see Clem hurt." Danielle said.

"Fine... I'll take it easy with the jokes and teasing." Becca said.

"Do you really mean that?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah, Clem. I really mean it." Becca replied.

"Thank you." Clementine said, she really appreciated Danielle for standing up for her. She just hoped Becca kept her word.

* * *

"We need food other than soup or fish… and we need more water. Otherwise we're going to starve to death." Clementine said.

"Complaining again, I see." Becca groaned.

"I'm the one nursing these babies. I need food to be able to produce milk." Clementine said. "Feeding three babies isn't easy."

"Calm your ass down, kid. Danielle and I will go hunting." Becca said.

Danielle looked to the older girl. "We will?"

"Yeah. You know how to shoot. You've been out there before, so I need you to come to watch my back." Becca said.

Danielle nodded.

"Clem, you and Sarah stay here and try not to destroy the place before we get back." Becca said.

Clementine rolled her eyes at that. "No promises." She sarcastically said.

"We'll head out first thing tomorrow." Becca said.

* * *

When the next day came Becca and Danielle headed out to hunt as Promise.

Sarah was flipping through a book once again, while Clementine played with the babies. Clementine would tickle and coo at the children to elicit their cute response. She smiled, she felt so at ease whenever she was with them.

AJ was seated on the floor scribbling happily.

"Hey. Whatcha drawing there, goofball?" Clementine asked the little boy. "Can I see? You know I'm no good at this game, but I'll try to guess what it is. Just give me a second... I'll figure it out."

AJ smiled at her; Clementine knew he loved playing the guessing game.

"It's a doggie. Right?" Clementine asked.

AJ shakes his head.

"Hmm, Is it...a picture of you?"

AJ shakes his head again and points at Clementine.

"It's me?" Clementine questioned with a small giggle.

AJ nodded, babbling as he continues to point at her.

"It looks just like me." Clementine said. "Can you say "Clem", AJ? Give it a try. "Clem"."

AJ just giggles and goes back to drawing.

"Not much of a talker, are you, goofball? Don't worry about it. You'll talk when you're ready." Clementine said.

Suddenly a noise came from outside, causing them to flinch.

"What was that?" Sarah asked.

"I… I don't know…" Clementine said. "Stay quiet." The young girl went to peer through one of the windows. It was hard to see out there, but she knew she could hear people outside the house. People who weren't Becca or Danielle.

"Oh shit. Sarah, we gotta hide." Clementine ordered. She quickly loaded the kids and the wagon and went to one of the bedrooms. Sarah followed her, hiding in the closet.

Clementine quickly shut the door. She looked to the kids, "Listen to mommy, guys. It's time to play the quiet game, okay?" She put a finger to her mouth telling them to shush.

The twins cooed while AJ mimicked her actions bringing a hand to his mouth.

A few moments passed before knocks were heard against the front door. Clementine could feel her heart pounding as the knocks grew loud and eventually progressed into bangs.

Sarah held back screams of fear, as she could hear someone trying to force their way into the cottage.

Clementine tried to think of a plan. Those people had them cornered. They could only sit in the bedroom and hope they wouldn't come in. If they did…then they would have to fight back.

It wasn't long before the heard another loud bang, before the front door gave away.

They could hear people enter the house and a voice order them to "Look around". The strangers began searching through the house, eventually coming to the room they were in.

Clementine aimed her gun at the door, the knob rattled. The person on the other side must have realized it was locked as a few moments later he kicked the door in. Clementine raised her gun as an unknown man stepped into view.

"What do we have here? A bunch of little kittens who lost their mommy." The man said.

"Back off." Clementine ordered.

"Or what?" The man chuckled. "You won't shoot me little girl."

"I will… Just turn around and walk away…" Clementine hissed.

The man however took a step towards her. "You won't shoot me, honey."

His words made her flinch. And his imagine seemed to change before her eyes. He was suddenly the same man who abused her. _Shoot me, honey! Shoot me!_

"N-No!"

"See. I told you, you couldn't do it." The man chuckled.

Clementine trembled a bit as the man continued to approach her.

"Now just put the the gun-"

Clementine pulled the trigger before he could get another word out. Blood splattered on her as the man fell to the ground. The babies started cry.

"What the fuck was that?" A voice said from the other room.

Two other men rushed into the room. Guns aimed at Clementine.

"Drop the gun, kid." One of the men ordered.

Clementine had no choice but to oblige.

"Shit, did you do this? Did you kill our man?" The second man asked.

Clementine gave a tiny nod.

"Is anyone else here with you or is it just you and those babies? Where's your mommy and daddy?" The first man asked.

Clementine didn't respond, trembling a bit.

"Answer me, brat! Quit playing the mute act!" The first man snapped.

Clementine couldn't speak, voice caught in her throat.

Sarah was shaking, nervous for her friend's safety. She cracked the closet door and could see these men had the small child surrounded. She had to do something to help. After a moment of hesitation, Sarah jumped out of the closet, using her gun to shoot at one of the men, shakily. The bullet missed hitting the wall.

The men glared at her and one of them walked towards her, with their attention on Sarah, Clementine quickly grabbed one of their guns and shot the two men, "Sarah, run!"

Sarah obliged without hesitation, Clementine grabbed the wagon, she knew she would have a hard time keeping up. The two girls rushed into the living room and Clementine looked to the back door. "Sarah, go get help!"

"You have to come with me!" Sarah said.

"I'll try to keep up, but I won't be able to run that fast. If I fall behind, just keep running." Dropping her crutches, she started running, pulling the wagon along with her. Her legs screamed in pain, but she did her best to ignore it. She started falling behind, but Sarah kept running as she had told her to. Clementine didn't get far before she was surrounded by a few more men. Panic hit her, were they going to kill her and her babies?

Sarah had managed to get out of the house and into the woods only for a third man to start chasing after her.

The girl ducked behind trees and into bushes to avoid him. Eventually he lost sight of her and Sarah waited until she could no longer hear his voice before running again. She needed to find Becca and Danielle, she needed to get help.

* * *

The men forced the young girl back into the cottage and proceeded to ask her for any supplies she had.

"I'll give you everything we got…Just…. Just d-don't hurt me... Please... Don't hurt me..." Clementine said.

"Don't be scared, little kitten. We just wanna play." One of the men said.

"Leave her alone." The familiar voice almost caused Clementine to whip around. But she knew better than to turn her back to an attacker. Clementine wondered how Terrell had found her.

"What?" One of the men asked.

"You can't be serious, man." A second man said.

"I said, leave her alone." Terrell spoke.

"This is bullshit. You know-"

Terrell cut the man off with a gunshot.

"What the fuck man?!" The second man exclaimed.

Another gunshot, Clementine flinched. The babies were crying, she wanted to comfort them but felt frozen.

"Hey, we can talk this out... Don't do this... I have a family." The third man pleaded. "Pl-Please."

A third gunshot.

Terrell turned to the trembling little girl and asked, "Are you okay?"

"T-Terrell?" Clementine stammered. "How'd you find me?"

"Lucky chance..." Terrell answered.

"We-We're you with those guys?" Clementine asked. "Were you with those naughty people?"

"Of course not, I heard the noise and figured someone was in trouble." Terrell claimed.

"They... talked like they knew you." Clementine said.

"I had no idea who they were..." Terrell said.

Clementine didn't completely believe his words. "...I need to find my friends. I need to make sure they're okay..."

"We'll do that... But we need to get out of here. Just in case there's more "naughty" people out there..." Terrell said.

Clementine nodded, shaking a bit. "I'm scared."

"Don't be, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." Terrell said. "Look at me, I need you to grab your stuff, then take the kids, and go wait outside, okay?"

"O-Okay..." Clementine agreed. She quickly grabbed what supplies she could carry, specifically anything AJ and the twins needed. She then grabbed Promise, tucking him into her backpack, before taking hold of the wagon. She headed outside, curious on what Terrell was doing.

* * *

Terrell waited until the young girl was outside of the cottage. He then proceeded to walk, pouring a bottle of gasoline throughout the house. He lit a match. Before walking out the front door.

"Let's go, kiddo." Terrell said.

"What happened? What did you do?" Clementine asked.

"I had to take care of the bodies." Terrell simply said.

Clementine glanced to the cottage and her hazel eyes grew wide. "Is that smoke?"

"It's just coming from the backyard. Come on, kid. Let's move." Terrell said, leading her away from the cottage.

Clementine followed him, still feeling worried. She needed to find her friends.

* * *

Sarah tore aimlessly through the trees, searching in panic for Danielle and Becca. She didn't know how long she had been running, all she knew was that she needed to find help.

She checked the river first, but they weren't there. Anxious and unsure of what to do she continued searching the area. Tears blurred her vision and she tried to blink them away, when suddenly she bumped into someone. The teen fell back, glasses falling from her face.

"Ow." Becca uttered with a groan.

Sarah whimpered as Danielle knelt down to pick the glasses up.

"Sarah, what are you doing out here?" Danielle asked, handing the girl her glasses.

"And why are you so damn clumsy?" Becca scoffed.

"Y-You didn't hear the gunshots?" Sarah asked through tears.

"Gunshots? What are you talking about?" Becca asked.

"P-People came to the cottage! Th-They- They attacked us!" Sarah cried.

"Attacked?" Becca gasped.

"Wh-What?!" Danielle gasped. "Wait- Where's Clementine? And the babies?"

"She told me to keep running- I didn't want to but I did." Sarah said.

"Are you crazy?! You left her to die!" Becca snapped.

Sarah felt more tears fall from her eyes. "I was trying to find help."

"Fuck! We gotta make sure she's okay." Becca pulled Sarah to her feet. "Come on!"

The three girls began sprinting back towards the cottage, the were worried it would be too late by time they arrived.

As they got closer to the cottage, they could see smoke through the trees.

Danielle's eyes widened. "Oh no… Is that smoke coming from the cottage?"

As they neared the building their worst wishes were confirmed.

They couldn't believe their eyes. The cottage was engulfed in flames. Sarah was sobbing uncontrollably with terror etched into her face.

Danielle found herself whimpering as well. "We have to help her!" She yelled frantically. "We have to help Clementine and the babies!"

"There's nothing we can do!" Becca said. Becca knew it only took minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house and for fire to spread through it. By now Clementine, AJ, and the twins were most likely trapped in there, or dead.

They could hear a cracking roar as walls collapsed.

"Wh-What?!" Danielle snapped. "We- We have to help her!"

"We can't go in there! We'll die." Becca stated. "If... If they're in there... they gone... They're gone, Dani."

"No- No! We have to do something! We have to try and h-help them! We have to!" Danielle tried to run towards the house, ignoring the flames, but Becca held her back.

"Don't be stupid! You're just gonna get yourself killed!" Becca said.

"They can't be gone! They can't be!" Danielle tried to struggle out of Becca's grip, but her attempts to free herself were in vain. Eventually the young girl's legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing. Becca loosened her grip feeling tears in her own eyes. She felt regret wash over her as she thought of how she had treated little Clementine over the past few days.

"Oh god..." She felt like she could throw up, tears spilt from Becca's eyes.

The three girls remained there for a while, crying over the loss of friend and the babies.

* * *

"I lost them- they ran off." The man stopped. "Holy shit, you brought one of those brats here?"

"What's going on, T?" Clementine asked fearfully "You said you didn't know those guys."

"I hate to break it to you kid, but your friends are gone. The noise brought the dead, and the gobbled all your little friends up." The man said.

Clementine flinched at that.

"I don't know them, Clem." Terrell said in a calm manner.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The man questioned Terrell.

"I'll give you five seconds to run away, before I pull the trigger." Terrell said, keeping the calm tone.

Clementine cold feel her blood run cold from how calm his voice was.

"What-?" The man looked genuinely shocked.

"Five..."

"What the hell are you doing?" The man asked.

"Four..."

"This is bullshit! Knock it off!" The man snapped.

"Three."

"Fuck this shit, you're fucking crazy." Panicked, he turned to run away.

"Two."

The man started running towards the woods.

"One."

Terrell pulled trigger, then with a blank face said. "I guess he didn't run fast enough."

Clementine whimpered a bit.

"Hey, it's okay… You're safe now." Terrell reassured her.

"What's going on, T? Who were those guys? Why did they attack us?" Clementine said.

Terrell didn't answer her.

Clementine glared at him, though she was scared. "Come on, tell me what's going on. You said you would help me find my friends..."

"I said I would protect you... I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, Clem, but he's right. Your friends are gone. If the raiders didn't get them, walkers will. And if we go looking for them, we're dead too... You don't want to die, do you? Not when you got these three to protect. You don't want to get your little ones killed, right?"

Clementine shook her head, whimpering a bit. She could feel tears in her eyes.

Terrell pulled the whimpering child into a hug and allowed her to sob in his arms. "It's okay. It's okay... I'll keep you safe... Just stick with me. I'll keep you safe."

* * *

Kenny, Christa, and Gill had been walking for a while, searching through the woods with hopes of finding the other children. Gill was fidgeting with an object in his hand.

"Oh shit..." Kenny suddenly spoke.

"What?" Christa asked.

The bearded man who had be quiet the entire walk spoke again.

"Get down." Kenny ordered.

Christa and Gill obliged. Kenny crouched down and they followed his lead, peeking from behind trees and bushes.

"What's going on?" Gill asked quietly.

"Shh..." Christa ordered.

They noticed a vehicle soon pull to a stop.

Gill could feel his heart pounding. They stayed behind cover, Kenny drawing his gun as a figure stepped out of the vehicle.

* * *

"I can't believe you left her..." Becca muttered.

Sarah just sniffled a bit not responding.

"You left her?! How could you leave her? And now she's gone! That blood is on your hands!" Becca yelled at the girl.

"It's not Sarah's fault." Danielle defended.

"And how the hell is it not?" Becca inquired.

"She didn't know that was going to happen… None of us knew." Danielle said.

"That doesn't change the fact that Clementine and the kids are gone now. And we have no supplies of anything. Four little kids just died in a fire, three of them being babies and… and it all could've been prevented." Becca said.

"Can we please stop talking about this…" Sarah pleaded.

"Why? Is the guilt too much for you?" Becca scoffed, "Do you need someone to coddle you some more?"

"Stop fighting. Please." Danielle said with a frown. She just wanted to mourn their loss in silence.

"I do feel bad. I feel guilty, of course. I know it's my fault." Sarah said. "I was scared. Clementine told me to run and I did. I know I should've stayed with her, but I was so scared…"

"Exactly you're a damn coward." Becca said.

"But I'm not the only one who feels guilty! You're the one who was always being mean to her, Becca. You didn't care that she was a little kid, or that she thought of you as a friend. You just kept picking on her." Sarah said.

"You don't know shit!" Becca snapped. "I wasn't picking on her! I was-"

"You were bullying her! You know it's true!" Sarah said.

"I- I wasn't bullying her! You don't understand! She was…" Becca trailed off.

"She was what?" Sarah asked.

"She was a brat!" Becca exclaimed.

"Clementine wasn't a brat." Danielle cut in. "She was defending herself."

"She got my sister killed and… and I… I just couldn't forgive her for that. Every single place I went with her got destroyed. If she never showed up at Howe's none of this would've happened." Becca said.

"She didn't get anyone killed. Stop blaming her for everything!" Sarah said.

"Can we just stop fighting? This isn't what Clementine would've wanted." Danielle said.

"Yeah, well, Clementine is gone now… We need to keep moving." Becca replied.

Between their arguing the girls didn't noticed a car vehicle approaching.

However, Danielle quickly reached for her gun as the vehicle pulled up beside them. The window rolled down and a voice from inside spoke, "Sarah? Becca?"

"L-Luke?" Sarah stammered while Becca stood in absolute shock.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help._**

* * *

Clementine shuffled along behind Terrell in silence, her head was bowed, miserable and lost. She could feel her lower lip quiver now and then, but her eyes remained dry, determined not to weep. She tugged the wagon along with some struggle, her body was aching. Terrell had offered to help, but she refused.

"What's wrong, kid? Why so down?"

Clementine didn't respond to that question. Terrell knew exactly why she was sad. She had just lost three of her friends. Her family...

 _Why so down?_ She scoffed at the question. Depression just always seemed to find its way into her, and she was incapable of escaping it.

"Are… you okay, Clem?" Terrell asked the girl.

Continuing to look rather despondent, Clementine shook her head.

"This is about your friends, isn't it?" Terrell questioned.

"I… I miss them…" Clementine said. "I need to find them."

Terrell halted his movement, turning to face the young girl. "They're gone, Clementine. Let it go…"

"I can't do that." Clementine shook her head. "They're like my sisters. They're my family."

"You don't have a choice, kid." Terrell said. "Think about your own children. You need to make them your main focus now."

"They've always been my main focus! I would do anything for my kids. But I can't give up on my friends. What if they're still alive...? I have to find them." Clementine said.

"You need me to protect you." Terrell reacted as if he was suddenly angry. "I'm your friend. As far as I know, I'm the only friend you've got left. Everyone else is gone. Dead. You need me."

Clementine frowned at his words. "Well, if you didn't save me, maybe I would've been dead, and you would've been better off." Clementine huffed.

"Don't say that." Terrell replied.

"We're gonna die out here anyway. It's only a matter of time." Clementine said.

"Is that what you think?" Terrell asked.

Clementine bit her lip.

"Answer me!" Terrell said.

"What if it is what I think?" She replies, voice laced with so much frustration she was struggling to keep from yelling.

"I'm your friend, Clementine," said Terrell. "The only friend you need. I'm here to protect you, to help you, but you need to listen to me..."

"I need to know for sure… I need proof that they're gone." Clementine said, fighting tears that were finally threatening to spill. "I can't just move on without knowing, I have to find them."

"You'll never find them. You'll never even find out if they're dead or alive." Terrell said.

"I'll keep looking until I do..." Clementine replied.

"Yeah, and then no one'll ever hear from you ..." Terrell huffed. "You need to be smart about this."

"I don't even know if they're dead or alive. But they're my family. I have to find them; even if I have to go into hell itself to do it. I have to find them." Clementine said.

"They're dead."

"You don't know that," She said, heart clenching at the thought.

"It's not your fault," He said to her.

She hung her head. "Stop…"

"It's not your fault that their dead." Terrell said.

"No! They're not dead…" Clementine said. "I won't believe it just because you say it."

"Enough… If you think it's smart to march out there and put your babies at risk, you're out of your mind. You know as well as I do that those kids are gone… Even if they were alive, they've probably moved on, Clem…" Terrell said.

"T-They wouldn't leave me…" Clementine responded, feeling a bit unsure.

"Are you sure about that? If they're alive they have a better chance of surviving without a cripple and three babies, slowing them down…"

Clementine was hurt by those words.

"It's time to move on, Clem…"

* * *

Christa, Kenny, and Gill stayed behind cover as a person stepped out of the vehicle.

Christa caught a glimpse of the woman who was clearly armed.

Kenny noticed the weapon as well, drawing his own, ready to fire. "I'm gonna see what this person wants."

"W-Wait." Gill grabbed at his arm.

Kenny tried to shake the boy's grip off. "What are you doing, kid?"

"I know you're out there!" The woman suddenly spoke. "Show yourselves!" Her voice was immediately familiar to them.

"M-Mom...?" Gill immediately rose from his cover.

Christa followed his lead, keeping her guard up just in case.

"Mom!" Gill exclaimed rushing towards the woman.

"Oh my God! Gill!" Patricia lowered her weapon and met the boy in a hug. She could feel tears falling from her eyes.

"I thought you were dead…" Gill whimpered, hugging her tightly.

"I knew you had to be alive." Patricia said as she continued hugging him. "Gill, what happened?"

"He got shot… I took care of it." Christa answered.

Kenny had lowered his weapon and started to approach. "Isn't this something…"

"Thank you both for taking care of my baby." Patricia said.

"Of course…" Christa said. "Are you alone?"

Patricia shook her head. "There's a group that escaped, they're not too far from here."

"Really?" Christa asked. "Were any of the kids there?"

Patricia's eyes grew wide at the question. "…They're not with you?"

"Fuck…." Christa said.

"W-Wait, the kids are gone…?" Patricia asked.

Christa didn't respond.

Patricia frowned, "Let's sit down and talk… I'll take a look at your wound too, Gill."

The boy nodded.

* * *

"It's really you! I can't believe you're here." Thrilled to see him, Sarah hurled herself into his arms. The teen sobbed as she clung to him. Luke returned the embrace, patting her back.

"Holy shit… Are you kids okay?" Luke asked.

"I- We thought you guys were gone." Becca said. "We thought you guys were all dead…"

"It's okay... We're alive… We're here and so are you. And I'm really, really glad I found you." Bonnie wiped her eyes, then shined a trembling grin at the girls.

"We shouldn't be out in the open. You kids can get in the van, we'll find some place safer to talk." Luke said.

Becca and Sarah agreed to the suggestion. Danielle, however, was hesitant, she didn't know these people and she didn't know if they could be trusted.

Sarah climbed into the vehicle and Becca started to do the same.

"You too, sweetie." Bonnie said, noticing Danielle's hesitance.

Danielle shook her head, remaining still in place, while holding Flopsie.

"Well we can't just leave you here." Bonnie said.

Becca noticed this as well and paused her movements, before looking to the girl. "Let me have a talk with her."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked.

"I'm sure. Let me talk to her. You two can get in the van, we won't be long."

The two adults reluctantly agreed, getting into the vehicle.

"Danielle, come on." Becca said.

Danielle shook her head, "No…" The small girl refused to budge, remaining in her spot.

"What's the problem?" Becca asked, sounding a bit irritated. "What are you doing, Dani?"

"I'm not going in there." Danielle replied.

Becca sent her a look, "Why not?"

"I don't know those people." Danielle answered. "I don't trust them…"

"Well, we do. So, come on." Becca said.

Danielle once again shook her head.

"They're not gonna hurt you." Becca said.

"That's what a lot of people say. And then they lie." Danielle huffed, clutching tighter to Flopsie.

"I wouldn't lie to you. I know they won't hurt you." Becca said.

"After how you treated Clem, why should I trust you?"

"Because we didn't have to go looking for you and Edith back at Wellington. We could've just left. But we wanted to make sure you were okay." Becca said.

"Clem wanted to make sure I was okay. I know it was her idea." Danielle said.

"No, we were all worried. We didn't have to agree to come look for you guys." Becca said. "And quit bring Clementine up. She's gone."

"Maybe you should stop acting like you don't care what happened to her. Like you don't care that she's gone… She didn't do anything wrong but so many people treated her like crap…" Danielle said.

"What do you know? You're just a little kid." Becca huffed.

"So was Clementine." Danielle pointed out. "And she didn't deserve to die."

"Clementine trusted them. So, you can too." Becca said. "She doesn't always have the best judgement when it comes to trusting people, but Sarah and I trust them too, that should say something…"

"…Fine… I guess that's enough to know that they won't put a bullet in my head." The younger girl muttered.

Becca was shocked by her words but said nothing.

* * *

"Can we stop?" Clementine asked reluctantly.

Terrell immediately groaned, "We haven't been walking that long."

"Please… My girls are hungry." Clementine said.

Terrell sighed. "Alright… Whatever you gotta do for them, make it fast."

"I will." Clementine said as Terrell released his grip on the wagon he had been pulling. "Umm…"

"What?" Terrell asked noticing the girl's face suddenly seemed flushed from embarrassment.

"I… I gotta feed them, and I…" Clementine shifted awkwardly, fidgeting a bit. "Umm… Can you not…"

Terrell seemed to take the hint. He chuckled a bit at how flustered the little girl was. "It doesn't matter. I won't look."

"Do you promise?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah." Terrell replied. "Not much to see anyway." He turned away from her.

Clementine frowned at that, not knowing how to feel about his words. She turned her attention to her children. Offering AJ some apple sauce which he happily ate, she then began nursing her daughters, while AJ played with a Disco Broccoli toy.

Terrell kept true to his word and didn't look. He even went as far as to ensure her privacy by going to scout the area ahead. Clementine appreciated that.

When he returned, she had finished feeding her little ones and was now changing diapers.

Terrell waited, reloading his own gun to kill time. After a few minutes Clementine spoke, "I'm ready."

Terrell looked over to see the girl starting to place the twins into the wagon, with a bit of struggle. AJ helped make the job easier by climbing in himself upon the girl's urging.

"Thank you, Goofball." Clementine giggled a bit.

AJ just babbled a bit and went back to playing.

"Come on." Terrell handed her, her crutches before taking grip on the wagon once again. "Let's get a move on."

Clementine simply nodded in response.

* * *

"I'm fine, mom. I told you already." Gill said, as Patricia checked him over.

"I just want to be sure. I don't want you catching an infection or anything." Patricia said. "When's the last time his wound was cleaned?"

"It hasn't been too long. I've been making sure his wound was treated well." Christa replied.

"Okay, good." Patricia sighed in relief. "So… How did you guys get out of Wellington?"

"Guns blazing." Kenny spoke. "We practically had to shoot our way out."

"What about you, mom?" Gill asked. "How did you get out?"

"We hid in one of the hospital bunkers during the explosions. I really wanted to find you, baby… I'm so glad you're okay." Patricia said. "I can't remember much but I passed out and when I woke up, we were no longer in Wellington."

"You keep saying we, who is we?" Christa asked.

"A couple of guards and medics. Also, some of the towns people, whoever survived I guess… We have some survivors who are injured so I promised I'd come back to help tend to them." Patricia replied.

"So other people really survived?" Gill sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, baby." Patricia gave a small smile. "They did."

"How many?" Christa asked.

"Maybe twenty or so…" Patricia replied.

"Damn… That's not a lot. Especially considering how many folks were at Wellington." Kenny said.

"I know…" Patricia said. "…What happened to the kids? Especially the little ones? Where are they?"

"We couldn't find them. We found Sarita but… but she was dead." Christa said.

"No… She was killed." Kenny mumbled. "Killed in cold fucking blood."

"Oh my God… I- I am so, so, so sorry…" Patricia said. "Do… Do you think the kids are… are alive? Do you think they're okay?"

"I hope so. I hope they're okay…" Gill said, looking worried.

"So do I…" Patricia said, giving him a comforting pat on his shoulder.

"We all do…" Christa said. "They're tough kids… So, I'm sure they are…"

"Hopefully you're right." Kenny muttered.

"I… know this is probably the last thing you two are thinking about right now, but maybe you guys can come back with me. The group I'm with set up a camp and they have food and supplies, medical supplies…" Patricia said. "It's not Wellington, or anything close to it, but it feels a lot safer there than out here."

"Well that doesn't account for much, because in the end Wellington wasn't all that safe, was it?" Kenny scoffed.

"We weren't prepared. We were all wearing blinders, those walls gave us a sense of security and let us think we had no worries." Patricia said. "But we learn from our mistakes. We don't make them again. We'll be okay this time."

"As nice as your offer seems, we have to find our kids." Christa said.

"Well you can't just go looking without supplies." Patricia said.

"You're right." Christa said. "But we need to find them, and we can't waste any time-"

"We'll come back with you." Kenny said, much to their surprised.

Christa sent him a look. "Kenny, what about the kids?"

"We'll come back with you for the supplies. And then we'll be on our way." Kenny said.

Patricia nodded. "Maybe after we check in on the group, I can come with you. I can help you look for the children. "

"No." Kenny shook his head. "You have your boy to look out for. It's too risky."

"But I can help too." Gill said. "I want to help find Clem and the others."

"Sorry kid. That's not gonna happen." Kenny said.

"Why not? Clem is my friend. I want to help find her." Gill said.

"Gill, Kenny is right. You and your mom were just reunited. You don't need to put yourselves at risk." Christa said.

Gill frowned at that. "But I-"

"Just stop, kid. I'm not gonna argue with you. You're not coming with us…" Kenny said.

Gill lowered his gaze, knowing there was no use in fighting.

Patricia comforted the young boy. "It's okay, bud. I'm sure your friends are safe…"

Gill sighed. "I really hope so…"

"Let's get a move on." Kenny spoke. "Lead the way, Patricia."

"Will do." Patricia said, standing and helping Gill up.

The four of them began to make their way to the truck.

* * *

The drive had been a silent one. It wasn't a comfortable silence. It was an awkward silence, full of tension. Yet, no one dared to break it, until now as Bonnie spoke.

"This seems like a good spot to stop." Bonnie said.

"I guess it's good as any." Wyatt said.

"Yeah, it's gonna get dark soon. We can just set up camp here for the night." Vince said. "Luke and I can check it out, make sure it's safe."

The others nodded. Wyatt pulled the vehicle to a stop and Luke and Vince got out first, checking that the area was clear.

After giving the group the okay, the others got out of the van. Wyatt and Russell began working on getting a fire going, while Bonnie checked her bag for a canned food she would prepare for dinner.

The girls noticed that Luke seemed anxious as he was pacing back and forth, until Vince managed to talk him into sitting down.

As the sun was starting to set, the group managed to get a fire going, and shortly after Bonnie had some stew cooking.

Danielle decided to sit a bit away from them. She was find just being with Flopsie. Though, it wasn't long before Sarah and Becca came over to offer the younger girl some food.

"We brought you something to eat." Sarah said.

Danielle looked to them then sighed. "No thank you. I don't want it."

"Don't be stupid. You gotta eat something." Becca said.

Danielle stubbornly shook her head, refusing to take the bowl.

Becca rolled her eyes at that. "You act like it's poisoned."

"Is it?" Danielle simply asked.

"We wouldn't eat it if it was poisoned." Becca huffed.

"We know these people. They wouldn't poison us. They're nice." Sarah said.

"I don't know them." Danielle said. "And a lot of people can pretend to be nice then change. I've seen it happen before…"

"We've known them for a long time. Practically since the start of all this. I'm pretty sure we can trust them." Becca said.

"The bandits who hurt me, my mommy knew them before the start of all this. She worked with them at a store. She used to call them friends, she trusted them… but that didn't stop them from hurting me or her… They would've killed me if they got the chance." Danielle said.

"Danielle, I promise you they're not like that…" Becca said with a sigh.

"Okay…" Danielle said. "I'd rather stay over here though. With Flopsie."

"But you should get to know everyone." Sarah said.

"No thanks. Flopsie and I want to stay over here." Danielle said.

"Do you want us to stay with you? It's scary sitting alone out here." Sarah said.

"You don't have to. Flopsie and I will be fine." Danielle said.

"Are you sure?" Sarah asked.

Danielle nodded.

"Fine." Becca shrugged. "We'll leave you alone."

Becca started to walk away, but Sarah spoke, "Are you mad at us?"

Becca stopped in her tracks curious on the question as well.

"What?" Danielle asked.

"Are you mad at us?" Sarah asked again.

Danielle paused for a moment then muttered, "What do you think?"

"I…I think you are…" Sarah said with a frown. "I don't want you to be."

Danielle gave no response.

"You are, aren't you?" Sarah asked, looking hurt.

Danielle still said nothing.

"I'll take that as a yes." Becca said.

"Take it however you want…" Danielle said. Sarah's reaction to her words made her feel a bit bad, but they would make Clementine feel bad regularly so she couldn't completely regret it.

"We'll just… leave you alone for now." Becca said. "Come on, Sarah."

Sarah kept her frown but nodded. The teen placed Danielle's bowl beside her in case the younger girl got hungry.

The two teens then walked off, leaving little Danielle to her thoughts.

* * *

"How did you find me?" Clementine wondered out loud.

"Luck, I guess." Terrell shrugged.

"Luck?" Clementine repeated, furrowing her brows.

"I guess it was luck on both of our ends." Terrell said.

"I don't feel very lucky." Clementine mumbled. "Can we stop…?"

"…Fine."

The girl sighed in relief. She was glad as he kept refusing to let them stop any longer than the time it took for her to nurse or change her babies. She was exhausted at this point. She sat down and started to tend to the little ones.

"…Do you really think they're dead?" She suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"My friends…" Clementine said.

"This again?" Terrell practically groaned.

"Just… Answer me, please… Do you really think they're dead?" Clementine asked again.

"Do you think they're alive?" Terrell questioned back.

"I… I don't know…" Clementine said honestly.

"There's probably more of those guys who attacked you out there. I doubt they'd just spare them. And even if they did, the dead probably got them. You find your friends, you're most likely gonna find them as walkers." Terrell said.

"I just… I feel like we should look for them if they're alive." Clementine frowned.

"You're so naïve, Clem." Terrell said.

Clementine was surprised by that. "Wh-What?"

"We talked about this. Everyone from Wellington is gone. Just because you were lucky enough to group up with them once, doesn't mean you'll be lucky enough to find them again. They're gone, Clementine. One way or another they're gone. If you really think they would wait around for you, you're wrong. Your friend, Becca, do you really think she's looking for you right now? Do you think she thought you were equal to her? She saw you as a burden. A useless little cripple… She probably feels better off… Let them go, kid." Terrell said.

His harsh words made her want to cry. She felt part of it was true, she was just slowing them down… Maybe they were better off without her…

"Everyone's luck has to run out at some point, you know." Terrell said.

"I guess it won't be long before ours does too…" Clementine muttered.

* * *

The group had gathered around a fire, though Danielle kept her distance. She didn't want to sit with them, she was worried she couldn't trust them. Even though Becca and Sarah obviously trusted them, judging by the way the two older girls were comfortably conversing with the adults.

Danielle held Flopsie close to her, so many thoughts were running through her mind. She was wondering if there was even a faintest chance that Clementine was alive. Was her best friend really dead? It seemed unlikely that the girl could have gotten out of that burning cottage. Her poor friend could barely walk and having three babies to haul along didn't help that.

Danielle felt heartbroken, Clementine had been the one person that she was closest to after losing her group. She felt like she was always losing everything and everyone. She had lost her mother, she had lost her guardian, Jace and everyone in his group, including her best friend. She had lost Edith, and now she had lost Clementine and those sweet little babies. She remembered Clementine suggesting she'd be the twins' auntie. And the more time she spent with the twins and AJ the more she loved being their "auntie". But now they were gone. Everyone she loved was gone. Sure, she was glad Sarah and Becca were okay, she cared about the older girls, even though she was never as close to them as she was to Clementine, and she was upset at both of them. She was angry at Becca for how the teen bullied Clementine, and she was annoyed at Sarah for being too scared to have Clementine's back and speak up for her.

Even now, the way the teens sat by the fire casually chatting with the adults, bothered Danielle. It was like they were distracting themselves from the tragedy of what happened to their friend and the babies. Danielle felt so many different emotions. The little eleven-year-old knew she would have to keep going for everyone she lost in the past, but she wondered how many more people she would lose. How long until her own time ran out?

"What happened to you guys? It's been so long; I was worried all of you were…" Bonnie trailed off.

"Dead?" Becca asked. "Not all of us…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked worriedly.

Neither teen responded.

"Girls talk to us, please. Tell us what happened?" Bonnie said.

"Where are Kenny, Christa, and Sarita?" Russell asked.

"Where's Clementine and the babies?" Luke asked.

"What's going on? Why were you kids alone?" Wyatt asked.

Sarah frowned, whimpering a bit while Becca looked away.

"Okay, okay, stop. You guys are just bombarding them with questions." Vince spoke up in the girls' defense. "They need time. I'm sure they've been through a lot."

"We came all this way, Vince. I need to know what happened." Luke said. "I need to know where my girls are."

"I get that, but you can't just-"

"You wanna know what happened… I'll tell you." Becca said, cutting Vince off. "We made it to Wellington. We were there for a while, so were a lot of other people. Wellington was full. There were way too many people there and not enough supplies. They were turning groups a way. Had been for some time. They would've turned us away if not for Clem and the babies."

"Damn…" Russell said.

"We were surprised to find out Wellington really existed. I thought it was just a pipe dream." Bonnie said.

"Well, it wasn't. It was a real place. A lot of people heard of Wellington, so it was the target of a lot of attacks. Bandits, or just people who were angry at being sent away… They tried to give every group they turned away supplies, at first, but when we started running low inside, they couldn't do that anymore. That only made the attacks happen more often…" Becca said. "The last attack was the worse. They completely outnumbered the guards, we saw a lot of dead people, dead kids… This group… they didn't care who they killed. They were throwing bombs and just shooting… everyone… Sarita was killed back in Wellington. So was Dani's guardian, Edith…. We managed to escape, but we got separated from Christa and Kenny."

"We saw the aftermath of the attack… The whole place is a complete mess. Everything is destroyed…" Russell said.

"It's so sad…" Sarah sniffled. "I just wish everything was back to normal. I wish my dad was here."

Luke frowned at that and Bonnie tried to comfort the young girl. "The little one over there, I take it, that's Dani?" Bonnie motioned to Danielle, who was sitting alone with Flopsie.

Becca nodded. "That's Danielle. She's one of Clem's friends."

"Maybe she should come sit with us. It's warmer by the fire. I'm sure the poor little thing is freezing." Bonnie said.

"She has a hard time trusting people. She'll take a bit to warm up to you guys…" Becca explained.

"Well, the least she can do is warm herself up physically. I don't want her getting sick." Bonnie replied.

"I guess." Becca said.

"Why don't you talk to her?" Bonnie suggested.

"I could… but I'm pretty sure she's pissed at me right now." Becca said.

"Why would she be pissed at you?" Vince asked.

"Little kids, just tend to get pissed at me a lot." Becca claimed with a shrugged.

"Well, she's your friend. I'm sure you can try talking to her." Vince said.

"Woah, she's not my friend. I said she's Clem's friend. What do I look like hanging out with babies? I'm almost seventeen." Becca said.

"You called, Clem a baby too." Sarah said, removing her glasses to wipe tears from her eyes.

"Because she was a baby. Her and Dani are like the same age, They're both babies." Becca said.

"She was a little kid, but you didn't have to tease her for it." Sarah frowned.

"I wasn't teasing her for being little." Becca huffed."

"Then why were you so mean to her? What did she do to you? She didn't deserve that." Sarah said.

"She- She was always pissing me off! She was a brat." Becca claimed.

"No, she wasn't. She wasn't a brat!" Sarah argued.

"Hold on, what's going on? Where's Clem? I thought she was with Kenny and Christa." Bonnie said.

"We never said that?" Becca said.

"Then what?" Luke asked. "Where is she? Where are the other kids?"

"She's dead, Luke!" Becca said. "She's dead…"

Sarah broke into sobs. Everyone's expressions changed into looks of dread.

"No… No… She can't be dead. She can't be…" Luke said in a low voice.

"She is!" Becca snapped, feeling her own body quiver with anger. Luke was clearly in denial.

"No…No… no no no." Luke shook his head, refusing to believe. "She's not dead. Clementine's not dead."

"Luke…" Bonnie tried to place a hand on his shoulder as tears filled her own eyes. Luke however pulled away.

"My girls…?" Luke muttered. "Crystal and Aleena, where are they? Are they okay?"

The teens didn't answer. Sarah continued to sob, Bonnie pulling the teen into a hug.

"Are my girls okay?" Luke asked again, sounding more urgent and desperate for an answer. "Are my babies alive. Just… Just tell me, please."

Becca slowly shook her head. "Clem, AJ, and the twins… they're all gone…"

Luke felt like his heart had shattered into a million pieces. "Oh God… Oh God, no… No, this can't be happening…" Luke began to tremble, gritting his teeth to keep wails locked in. He had already lost a child, but now he lost the twins too… "They can't be dead…"

"Luke! They're gone!" Becca snapped, she was getting angry, but she was fighting back tears herself.

"They can't be!" Luke hissed, before taking a couple quick and shaky breaths.

"You gotta calm down, man…" Wyatt said. "You gotta calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down! You have no fucking idea what I'm going through." Luke snapped; eyes moist as tears threatened to spill.

Danielle had looked over anxiously upon hearing all the yelling and crying. She clutched to Flopsie while watching the scene unfold wearily. She really hoped these men weren't like the bandits who had hurt her when she was seven.

"How did it happen?" Luke asked Becca, knowing he wouldn't get a response from Sarah.

Becca sighed, then answered, "We got attacked."

"By who?" Russell asked.

Becca shot him a look, "We don't know who. Probably the same group of assholes who attacked Wellington."

"Are you guys hurt?" Vince asked, concerned. "Did they hurt you…?"

Becca shook her head. "They… I don't know what they did to Clem and the babies…"

"Sick fucks…" Vince felt his stomach turn. "What the hell is wrong with people…?"

"We had found this cottage after we left Wellington. We were there for a few days… Danielle and I went out, to try to hunt, we needed more food. While we were gone people broke into the cottage and…" Becca trailed off.

"It's my fault…" Sarah sniffled.

Bonnie frowned at that. "What are you talking about, Sarah?"

"They told me to stay with Clem… And… And I left her. I left her with those bad people. It's all my fault." Sarah whimpered.

"No, Sarah. Don't blame yourself." Bonnie said, hugging the sixteen-year-old close. "It's not your fault."

"But it is… Clem told me to run… I didn't want to, but I thought maybe I could go get help…" Sarah said. "I left her to die…"

"Shh… That's not true. None of this is your fault, sweetie." Bonnie soothed.

"But- But…" Sarah stammered, but Bonnie shushed her once again, comforting the crying teen.

"What happened next? How do you know Clem's dead?" Luke asked.

"We… When we got back to the cottage, it was on fire. Clem and the babies were inside…" Becca explained.

"God… Oh fuck…" Luke took a raspy breath. "I need to take a walk…"

"Luke, wait," Bonnie tried calling, but he ignored her.

Vince shook his head. "Let him go, Bonnie."

"But…"

"Bonnie, he needs time." Vince said.

Bonnie frowned but nodded.

Silence fell over the group, everyone saddened by what they had learned. No one said a single word.

* * *

"I made some food." Terrell spoke.

Clementine glanced over then replied, "I'm not hungry."

"You should still eat something." Terrell said.

They had finally decided to stop for the night as it was growing dark. Clementine couldn't bring herself to eat the soup Terrell had prepared. She didn't have an appetite.

"…Why did you do it?" Clementine asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Save me… Why did you save me?" The girl questioned.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I… I just… I don't understand…Why did you save me, T?" Her mind was trying it's best to grasp at straws.

"It was just something I had to do, Clem." Terrell answered.

"How did you even know where I was?" Clementine asked. "How did you get out of Wellington? I didn't see you…"

"Why are you asking so many questions?" Terrell grumbled.

"I'm curious." Clementine said honestly.

"You're acting suspicious." Terrell replied.

"I just want to know. I have to know… I need to understand…." Clementine said. "I didn't deserve to be saved; my friends did. I just… I can't believe everyone is gone… Everyone- Everyone I loved… I feel so numb…"

"I saved you because I care about you, Clem. I wish things were different but they're not. If I could have saved your friends, I promise you I would have, but you and I both know we can't change the past. We can only look towards the future." He motioned to the babies in the wagon. "This is your future, Clem."

"I know… But I can't raise three babies on my own…" Clementine said.

"You're not on your own. I'm right here, Clem. I'll never leave you all alone. I promise you that." Terrell said. "You trust me, right?"

"I… I don't know how to feel. I don't know what to think…" Clementine said.

"You know you can trust me. I'll protect you." Terrell said, taking her small hand in his own.

"…I trust you, T…" Clementine said, meeting his gaze.

"Good…." Terrell said. "I'll never let anyone hurt you."

"…Okay…" The sound of her daughter's cry pulled her attention away.

Terrell released her hand as she went to tend to her children. A small smirk on his face.

* * *

A while had passed since Luke had stormed off. He had yet to return. The girls were fast asleep, and the adults were talking quietly.

"What do we do now?" Russell asked.

"Well, we have the kids to protect now… We gotta do what's best for them." Vince said.

"What about the little one? I still think she should come over by the fire." Bonnie said.

The others glanced to the girl, who was laying down holding her stuffed animal close. They assumed she was asleep.

"The kid looked like a deer in the headlights earlier." Wyatt said.

"Can you really blame her? I'm sure all the kids are traumatized after this." Vince said. "They've seen shit kids shouldn't see. And she's probably around Clem's age… It's awful…"

"I'm gonna try to talk to her. I don't want her getting sick from being in the cold." Bonnie decided.

The men nodded as Bonnie stood and walked over to the young child, who to her surprise was wide awake.

Danielle quickly sat upright as she noticed her approaching. Still holding Flopsie close, the young girl watched the woman wearily.

"Hey there." Bonnie greeted in a gentle voice. "I thought you be asleep by now…"

Danielle didn't respond to the woman. She just watched her in silence.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just figured you'd be cold over here all alone." Bonnie said. "Why don't you come over by the fire. You can rest with Sarah and Becca."

The child remained silent. She didn't know what to make of the woman.

"I promise it's much warmer over there. And you'll be a lot more comfortable. We have sleeping bags and blankets." Bonnie said.

Danielle still didn't respond.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name's Bonnie. And you're Danielle, right? Becca told me your name."

Nothing, the little girl just continued clinging to her bunny.

Bonnie noticed the stuffed toy and said, "That's a cute bunny. Does it have a name?"

Danielle furrowed her brows as if the woman had asked a stupid question.

"Oh, sorry. Of course, they have a name." Bonnie said, noting the child's expression. "What's their name?"

Danielle still didn't say a word to her.

Bonnie fought back a sigh. "How about I just get you a blanket? That way you and your bunny can stay warm."

Danielle didn't respond, not that Bonnie expected her to at this point. Bonnie went over to the fire to retrieve a blanket for the child. The way the small girl seemed so fearful reminded her of little Clementine. She wondered if Danielle had dealt with something similar to Clementine's experience.

"Any luck?" Russell asked.

Bonnie shook her head. "Not at all. That poor girl won't say a word to me."

"Poor kids…" Vince sighed, feeling his heart ache.

"I'm a little worried… Luke's still not back yet…" Bonnie said.

"It hasn't been too long. And I'm sure he can handle himself." Wyatt said.

"But… He's going through a lot." Bonnie said.

"He'll be fine." Wyatt claimed.

"Not when he's in this state." Bonnie disagreed.

"He just needs some time. Alone…" Vince said. "Give him some space, Bonnie."

"I guess you're right…" Bonnie sighed. "I'm gonna go bring the little one, one of the blankets."

"You can give her my sleeping bag; she'll be more comfortable in that." Vince said.

"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked.

Vince nodded. "Of course."

"Alright…" Bonnie said.

Bonnie grabbed Vince's sleeping bag and headed over to Danielle who was still sitting silently in her same spot. "Here you go, sweetie."

Danielle hesitated to take the sleeping bag.

"You should be more comfortable with this." Bonnie placed the sleeping bag beside the girl, sensing her hesitation.

Danielle was surprised by this.

"I'll leave you to get some rest… Feel free to join us by the fire if you want." Bonnie said.

The woman then started to walk off. Danielle thought she seemed kind…

Maybe these people weren't so bad.

* * *

"Leena, please… Please stop crying…" Clementine didn't know what her daughter wanted. She had been fussy for the last hour or so. The baby had calmed only briefly when Clementine had nursed her, but that was only a temporary satisfaction for the infant.

Clementine cuddled her, rocked her, offered her the rattle, which Aleena loved so much, but her baby would not stop crying.

AJ and Crystal had fallen asleep, but Clementine knew it wouldn't be long before Aleena woken them. She checked her baby's breathing, which seemed normal. The girl wasn't wet so what was the problem.

"Leena…" Clementine sighed, trying her best to sooth her squirming child.

"The kid's still being fussy?" Terrell suddenly asked.

"I don't know what she wants." Clementine admitted, feeling bad for not being able to quiet her baby.

"You're her mom, shouldn't you be able to figure it out?" Terrell scoffed.

Clementine felt hurt and a bit offended. "I'm trying, T. I'm trying."

"Well, try harder. She's gonna bring the dead." Terrell said. "Doesn't she have a pacifier or something?"

"She doesn't want that. She just spits it out." Clementine said.

Terrell paused before saying, "Give her here, let me try to calm her down."

Clementine looked unsure, holding her baby closer.

Aleena continued crying in her arms.

"Come on. You trust me, don't you?" Terrell said.

"I… I do but…" Clementine trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"But what? I'll give her right back, I promise." Terrell said.

"Okay…" Clementine hesitantly allowed him to hold her daughter.

Terrell held Aleena a bit awkwardly, the baby looked to him, curiously before immediately reaching toward her mother, cries now reduced to whimpers.

Clementine took her daughter back. Aleena was much quieter than before, but she appeared to be scared of Terrell. Clementine recalled how Christa would always tell her babies can sense if someone is a good person. Her daughter's reaction concerned her a bit.

"It's okay, mommy's got you, baby…" Checking her daughter's breathing again, Clementine made sure her oxygen machine was properly working before attempting to rock the baby to sleep. Crystal, who had been woken from the noise blinked tiredly, letting out a few coos. Clementine took her other daughter into her arms as well and started to sooth both twins to sleep. Fortunately, AJ remained out like a light.

The twins eventually drifted off to sleep.

"I guess you are a pretty good mom." Terrell suddenly said.

"You guess?" Clementine asked.

"Took a long time for you to calm her down." Terrell shrugged.

"I know…" Clementine said. "I don't feel like a good mom…"

"Well, you should give yourself more credit. I don't know anyone who could raise three kids, like you are. You're not a crappy parent, and you're only a kid yourself." Terrell said.

"I'm not a kid. I keep telling you that." Clementine responded.

"Sure, sure."

"So… what's the plan? What do we do now?" Clementine asked him.

"Gave up on looking for your friends?" Terrell asked back.

"I didn't give up. I accepted the truth… They're probably dead, and if they're alive they'd have a better chance of living without me slowing them down. I don't want to put them more at risk. I'm bad luck. Everyone around me ends up getting killed or hurt… I just wanna make sure that doesn't happen to my kids." Clementine said.

"I won't let that happen." Terrell said. "I'm glad you're being more realistic now, Clementine."

"…So what do we do? You're not going to leave us, are you?" Clementine asked.

"I wouldn't have saved you if I was gonna leave you." Terrell said. "I have an idea of where to go. You just gotta trust me."

"I do… I trust you." The child said.

"Good. For now, you should just get some rest. We got a long walk tomorrow." Terrell said.

"Okay…" Clementine agreed. "Goodnight, T…"

* * *

"Wake up, kid. We gotta get a move on."

Clementine groaned as she felt herself being nudged. Slowly she sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. AJ was still sound asleep by her side, The toddler had slept beside her while the twins were tucked sound asleep in their wagon, with Promise "keeping watch" on them. The two were so small Clementine was nervous to let them sleep directly beside her.

"It's morning already?" The girl sleepily asked.

"Unfortunately, yeah." Terrell said.

"Man…" Clementine mumbled. "Mind if I feed the kids before we get moving?"

"Go right ahead." Terrell said. "You hungry yourself?"

"A bit…"

"Well, I got some trail mix if you want it." Terrell told her.

Clementine cocked a brow, _trail mix_ … "No real breakfast?"

"Don't be picky, kid. I'll make some soup later on." Terrell said.

Not wanting to cause an argument, the girl just nodded. "…Okay…"

"I'm putting a limit on the breaks today too." Terrell said.

Clementine felt like he had already done that.

"We gotta keep moving or else we'll never make it anywhere." Terrell continued.

"Where exactly are we going?" Clementine asked.

"I told you I know a place." Terrell simply said.

"Well, I can't help it if I need a break, T. My legs hurt after a while, and I gotta make sure my babies are okay." She wasn't saying anything that wasn't true. The twins usually had a feeding every four to five hours or so, and on top of that she had to feed AJ and had three babies to change diapers for. The breaks were necessary for her to do that stuff.

"Let's just try to keep it at a minimum, Clem." Terrell replied.

Clementine sighed, "I'll try, T. I'll try."

* * *

As the sun rose, Bonnie stirred awake. The first thing she noticed was Vince was awake as well. The fire had gone out, but he was sitting by the wood with his back to her.

The woman sat up and looked around. She gave a small smile upon seeing that Danielle had given in and was snuggled into the sleeping bag she had given her the night before. Her smile however, quickly faded as she noticed Luke was nowhere to be seen. Everyone else besides her and Vince were asleep, but it seemed Luke hadn't come back to camp. It worried her.

With a sigh she got up and went to sit beside Vince. "Hey." She greeted.

"Hey…" Vince said back. "I didn't know you were awake."

"Just woke up." Bonnie said. "You always wake up first. You're such an early bird, why is that?"

Vince just shrugged in response.

"Are you okay…?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, of course…" Vince claimed.

Bonnie sighed, "Alright, Vince… What's bothering you?"

"I said I was okay." Vince responded.

"Yeah, but I know you. I know something's on your mind. What is it?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm really okay, Bonnie." Vince stated.

"Vince…"

Vince groaned. "Fine… I'm physically okay…"

"What about in other aspects?" Bonnie asked.

"Mentally, I'm fucked up right now…" Vince said honestly.

Bonnie waited for him to elaborate.

"I'm… just thinking about the kid…" Vince mumbled.

"Who?" Bonnie asked.

"Clementine." Vince said. "All the shit she went through… She didn't deserve that. We could've prevented it. Could've protected her better… And to think that she died at the hands of some sick fuck who didn't even care about killing a child. A little girl. She was practically a baby, Bonnie. A baby who was forced into a pregnancy…"

Bonnie frowned. "Vince…"

"That little girl never tried to hurt anyone. She was innocent. And to think that someone could just hurt her…" Vince continued. "What kind of world do we live in? We should've protected her…"

"We did our best to protect her, Vince." Bonnie said.

Vince couldn't disagree more. "The hell we did! If she was protected, she never would have gotten raped in the first place!"

"That's not on us!" Bonnie said.

"It was on us!" Vince exclaimed.

"We didn't know!" Bonnie argued. "We didn't know what was happening. Bill was-"

"It wasn't just Bill! What about Troy, and all the other crazy fuckers who hurt her? This is on us, Bonnie. I'm getting sick and tired of the excuses." Vince said.

Bonnie opened her mouth to respond but before she got the chance to Sarah yawned and then spoke.

"Good morning." The teen said.

Vince sighed, "Morning, Sarah."

"Good morning, Sarah. How did you sleep?" Bonnie asked.

"Okay… What's going on? Were you guys fighting?" Sarah asked.

"Not at all." Vince mumbled.

"Where's Luke?" Sarah asked, looking around and noticing he wasn't there.

"He hasn't come back yet." Bonnie said.

"Should we go looking for him?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know… Maybe…" Bonnie mumbled.

Vince shook his head. "Just let him come back on his own..."

Bonnie looked over to him. "But what if something happened… Maybe we should look for him."

"He needs space, Bonnie. I'm sure he's fine. Sometimes people need space." Vince said.

Bonnie frowned at his tone.

Becca who had also woken seemed a bit confused by what was going on. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine…" Vince said.

Bonnie frowned, "But what if everything's not fine? Luke might need help."

"Bonnie, just let him come back on his own…" Vince said. "He'll be okay…"

"Okay…" Bonnie agreed.

* * *

It was early morning when they arrived. The group offered what supplies they could to them along with some food. They suggested that the two get some much-needed rest before heading off. Kenny, after much persuading finally gave in. As soon as Patricia gave him a sleeping bag, he took it and laid down. Moments later he was out like a light.

"When's the last time he slept?" Patricia asked Christa.

"He doesn't usually sleep much… It's been worse the past few days. Ask him and he'd probably tell you three years ago." Christa replied, sipping at a water bottle she'd been given.

"I don't know how he does it…" Patricia said. "I can't imagine how hard it must be for you two right now… When I lost my husband, it almost broke me…But I knew I had to stay strong for Gill. He's the light of my life. The only thing that keeps me going now. I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't found him…"

"That's what's keeping us going… I know exactly how you feel…" Christa said. "That hope for finding the kids is the only thing keeping us going."

"Don't lose that hope…" Patricia said.

"I'm trying not to…" Christa said. "I had my down point, I lost my boyfriend, lost my baby… I hit rock bottom after that. I basically neglected Clem for a long time, and I feel awful about that… When we got separated the first time, the guilt was killing me. I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. I just wanted to find her and hold her close… I was so glad when I did find her… Now I just hope I can find her again… Her and the other kids."

"I'm sure you will, Christa. I'm sure you will. Just hold onto that hope… Don't ever lose it." Patricia said.

* * *

"Dani, Danielle," The young girl flinched awake, reaching for her gun.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, take it easy." Becca spoke backing up a bit.

Danielle relaxed a little. "Are we in trouble?" She asked.

"No… Why would we be?" Becca replied. "We're safe."

"Then… why are you waking me up?" Danielle asked.

"Bonnie made breakfast." Becca explained.

"Oh…" Danielle said.

"Why don't you come over and eat with us." Becca suggested. "No one will hurt you. I promise…"

"I…" Danielle seemed hesitant.

"I'm sure you're hungry." Becca said.

"I am a little hungry…" Danielle admitted.

"I'm sure. I see you didn't touch that stew last night." Becca said.

"I didn't mean to waste it." Danielle suddenly sounded nervous. "I just-"

"Danielle, it's fine. We can just reheat it. Come on. Let's get some breakfast before they eat it all." Becca said.

Danielle gave a tiny nod, getting out of the sleeping bag. She stretched a bit before grabbing the sleeping bag and standing. Becca grabbed the bowl of stew and the two headed over to the group.

* * *

"Terrell, can we please take a break?" Clementine pleaded.

"Why? The babies don't need anything. They're asleep." Terrell pointed out.

"…My legs hurt…" The girl said.

Terrell let out a heavy groan. "We're never gonna get anywhere like this."

His reaction hurt her feelings and she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, T… I'm doing my best to keep up. My legs just hurt…"

"How come you're always hurting?" Terrell scoffed.

"I… The doctors said it was probably nerve damage from the pregnancy…" Clementine said.

"So in other words, your kids are probably gonna learn to walk before you do. How sad…" Terrell said.

Clementine frowned at that. "Why are you being so mean to me?"

"I'm not, Clem. I just wanna keep moving. I wanna keep you safe. It's not safe out here, Clem…" Terrell replied.

"I'm sorry… I'll try harder to keep up." Clementine said. "We can keep moving…"

"Are you sure? I thought you needed to take a break?" Terrell responded.

Clementine quickly shook her head. "N-No… I'm fine… I can keep going a while longer."

"Thata girl. See, you don't need to take a break right now…" Terrell said. "You gotta push yourself if you wanna get stronger… You do wanna get stronger, right?"

"I do…"

"Good. Then let's keep going. Come on. Just let me know when you really need to take a break." Terrell said.

"…Okay…" Clementine said. Her legs were really aching. Her body was in pain. She wanted to stop now, but she would push herself until she couldn't go any further. She didn't want to make Terrell angry. She hated when people were upset at her. "Let's just keep going."

"Sure thing, kid."

* * *

The group sat quietly chatting. Danielle held Flopsie close, she hadn't said a word, but Bonnie was glad the girl was comfortable enough to sit with them while they ate breakfast.

They were just finishing their meal when Luke finally arrived back at the camp, looking completely exhausted.

"Morning…" Luke mumbled.

"Where were you?" Bonnie asked.

"I needed to clear my head. Just walked around for a bit." Luke replied.

"You were gone all night." Bonnie said.

"I wanted to be alone." Luke shrugged.

"We were all worried about you." Bonnie said.

"I appreciate the concern, but you guys have nothing to worry about…" Luke said.

"Why didn't you come back last night?" Bonnie questioned.

"I didn't want to… I needed time to think… I'm back now, aren't I?" Luke responded.

"Something could've happened though." Bonnie said. "You should've said something."

"But nothing happened." Luke said.

"Bonnie, just get off his case. He's not a little kid. He's a grown man." Wyatt said.

"But still…" Bonnie said.

"Just stop. Please…" Luke said. "I'm not in the mood for all this right now…"

Silence fell over the group. Luke slowly took a seat.

"We have food…" Vince said.

"I'm not hungry." Luke replied, burying his head in his hand, looking miserable.

"You should still eat something." Bonnie said.

Luke shook his head and decided to change the subject. "What's our plan? Where do we go from here?"

No one replied.

Bonnie rubbed her neck nervously. "Well… I'm sure you're probably against this idea… but Howe's is an option…"

"Fuck that!" Russell immediately said.

Luke and Vince both wore expressions of disbelief while Wyatt shook his head.

"But it was safe there." Bonnie said.

"It wasn't safe. There's no way in hell I'm going back there." Luke said.

"I don't think any of us want to go back there. Not after what happened." Vince said.

Sarah and Becca both frowned, Danielle couldn't help but wonder what Howe's was.

"We can start over there… Maybe we can just consider the option." Bonnie said.

"How could you even suggest that after hearing Clementine and the babies are gone… How could you ever suggest that, period? I wouldn't go back to that hellhole if my life depended on it." Luke said.

Bonnie sighed, "I… I'm sorry… Maybe it was a bad idea…"

"It was. It really was…" Luke said.

"I'll… try to think of something else… I'm sorry…" Bonnie said.

* * *

Her daughter was crying, Clementine didn't know why her twins were so cranky as of lately.

"Why is she crying so much?" Terrell asked.

"Aleena was crying last time, not Crystal." Clementine said.

"Whatever, why is Crystal crying now?" Terrell asked.

"I don't know... I'm trying to make her stop…" Clementine did her best to calm the baby.

"Well, you need to try harder. Her crying is gonna bring the dead..." Terrell said.

"I'm trying, T!" Clementine huffed.

"Just shut her up!" Terrell snapped.

Suddenly they heard something crunch from behind a tree. Terrell quickly stood to see what it was. He walked over to the tree; gun ready to fire but sighed in relief when he noticed it was just a rabbit.

"Break time's over, let's move." Terrell said.

"B-But-"

"Now," Terrell ordered.

Clementine frowned and stood, shakily, placing Aleena in the wagon, only for a walker to stumble from the trees towards her. The girl had no time to react before she was suddenly grabbed.

Terrell quickly fired at the walker, killing it instantly.

AJ and Aleena started crying as well, right along with Crystal.

He knew the noise was going to bring more. And it wasn't long before more of the undead started stumbling from the trees. The babies cries were drawing walkers like moths to a flame!

"Fuck this!" Terrell swept Clementine into his arms, grabbing the handle of the wagon, he started running.

Once they were safe, he placed her down.

"Well, that was a disaster. We're lucky to be alive after that…" Terrell huffed.

"I'm sorry." Clementine said.

"I told you to quiet her down." Terrell said.

"I was trying to." Clementine replied.

"Not hard enough!" Terrell hissed.

Clementine frowned whimpering a bit.

"Hey… I didn't mean to yell at you…" Terrell said, looking remorseful.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry, T…" Clementine said, feeling her heart pounding.

Terrell hugged the young girl. "It's okay… It's okay, we're safe now…"

* * *

Another day went by and Luke was clearly on edge. Everyone was concern seeing how antsy he was lately.

Vince sighed as he noticed Luke was once again pacing. Danielle was watching him as well, though Vince noticed the girl seemed nervous.

Slowly Vince got up and approached Luke. "Luke... you need to calm down. You're scaring the girls."

"I'm scaring them?" Luke scoffed. "How am I scaring them?"

"You just need to take a breath. Calm down." Vince said.

"I am calm, Vince." Luke claimed.

"You're pacing. You're angry." Vince pointed out. "You need to calm down."

"I have every right to be this way. They told me my little girls are dead, I didn't even get to see them. I didn't get to say goodbye. They told me my babies died, burnt alive in some cabin..." Luke said.

"I know what you're going through, man but..."

Luke stopped him. "No. You don't know what I'm going through! Stop saying that! None of you know what I'm going through."

Vince sighed, not sure how to respond.

"I need to bury them." Luke suddenly said.

"What?"

"I need to bury them." Luke repeated.

"Stop the crazy talk, man." Vince said. "It's too risky…"

"It's not crazy talk, they deserve a proper burial. I need to bury them... I need to." Luke said.

"What you need, is a good day of rest… I know this hard on you, but you gotta take care of yourself, man…" Vince said. "Try to get some rest..."

Luke didn't respond to that, but he had stopped pacing. Maybe Vince was right. He did need some rest.

* * *

"This is it." Terrell said as he came to a sudden stop.

Clementine looked confused as she took in the small shack they were standing in front of. "Wh-What? We're staying here?"

"Only for a few days..." Terrell said. "We'll rest up, then get back on the road."

"Are you sure it's safe?" It didn't seem like a safe option at all.

"I'm sure…" Terrell said. "Quit worrying so much. Come on."

Clementine reluctantly followed him into the shack.

* * *

"Are you guys really leaving now?" Gill asked.

"Yeah, it's time. We gotta keep moving if we wanna find them…" Christa said. "Thanks for everything."

Patricia hugged Christa, who returned the hug. "Thanks for looking after my boy. I would've lost him if not for you."

"I really wish I could go…" Gill said.

"You just stay safe, kid." Christa said, as she and Patricia broke the embrace. "Take care of that wound, you gotta keep it clean if you don't want an infection."

"I will…" Gill said.

"Look after your mother now." Kenny said.

Gill nodded.

"He always does." Patricia said as he gave her son a pat on the shoulder.

"Once you find them, will you come back here?" Gill asked.

"I guess, we'll have to find them before we figure that out." Kenny said.

"Take care of yourselves." Patricia said. "And stay safe."

"You too, Patricia. You and Gill be safe." Christa said.

"Wait…" Gill spoke a bit shyly.

The adults looked to him.

"When you find Clem... Can you give her this?" Gill reached in his pocket and pulled out a heart necklace. "I found it back in town... I thought she might like it."

Christa could help but smile at that while Kenny quirked a brow. "Of course. I'm sure she'll love it." Christa said, accepting the necklace. "I know she will."

* * *

"I'm starting to think maybe you don't like us." Bonnie said to Danielle.

The little girl just kept quiet.

It had been a few days since they found the girls and Danielle had yet to speak a word to the adults.

"I don't blame you… We can be a pretty dysfunctional group… But I do want you to know, you can talk to us… I want you to feel comfortable around us…" Bonnie said.

When Danielle didn't reply again the woman sighed.

"I'm bugging you, aren't I?" Bonnie asked. "I'll leave you and your bunny alone."

"Flopsie…" Danielle muttered.

Bonnie stopped, looking down at the small girl. "What was that?"

"Her name is Flopsie." Danielle said.

Bonnie couldn't help but smile at that. "That's a beautiful name, Danielle."

* * *

"What are we doing here, T?" Clementine questioned, as he looked over some kind of map. "What is going on?"

"Do you always have to ask so many questions." Terrell grumbled.

"Yes. Yes, I do. I can't just go along with everything you say and put my babies at risk." Clementine said.

"At risk?" Terrell shot her a glare. "I'm the one who's been protecting you and those babies of yours!"

"I just need to know what's going on!" Clementine said.

"You just need to trust me! I'm the only one you have now, Clem! You need to trust me!" Terrell said.

The girl was getting tired of him saying that. "Terrell-"

The boy ignored her call, storming into another room, taking the map with him. Clementine frowned. She hated seeing him upset. She just wanted to know what was going on.

* * *

"So you can talk. I remember how quiet you were the other night. If I hadn't checked on you, I would've thought you were asleep." Bonnie said as she took a seat beside Danielle.

"If I had been... would you have hurt me?" Danielle asked in a tiny voice.

"What?" Bonnie was shocked by that question.

"If I was asleep that night...Would you have hurt me?" Danielle asked.

"Of course not." Bonnie said. "I would never hurt you. None of us here would."

"Okay... Good." Danielle said. "I think I can trust you then."

"I sure hope you do." Bonnie said. "You can trust us, Danielle."

* * *

Clementine tended to her babies for most of the day. After laying them down for a nap, she decided to try to speak with Terrell. The two hadn't spoken since earlier.

The older boy seemed to be in a bitter mood, and it worried her.

"T, can we talk?" Clementine asked.

"Ain't nothing to talk about." Terrell said.

"But I…"

Terrell cut the child off, "I'm going to take watch."

Clementine frowned; it was obvious he was avoiding her.

* * *

Danielle was slowly but surely getting used to the group.

Within the few days she'd known them they had gone from untrustworthy to decent people. She was starting to feel a bit more comfortable around them. She even would initiate small talk at times. They were an okay group. Sure they argued a lot and some of them seemed on edge. But Danielle brushed that off. Everyone was on edge. It seemed like for some reason adults just liked to argue.

However, when Luke approached her with a request, she didn't know what to think.

"I need to talk to you, kid... You're the only one I can ask to do this..." Luke said.

"Do what?" Danielle asked.

Luke hesitated and Danielle felt nervous, wondering what he wanted to ask of her.

"I…"

"What is it? Is it something bad?" Danielle asked.

"Wh-What? No…" Luke shook his head. He then sighed, "I… I need you to take me back to the cabin you kids were staying at."

"It's burnt…" Danielle said. "Why would we go back there…"

"I need to bury them… I need to bury those kids…" Luke said. "Crystal and Aleena… My girls… I gotta bury them. And Clem and AJ too."

"Your girls…?" Danielle asked.

"Y-Yeah…" Luke said.

"Your… daughters?" Danielle questioned, shaking a bit.

Luke gave a slow nod.

Danielle's eyes immediately widened. "You hurt her?"

Luke quickly shook his head. "N-No. No... It's not like that!"

"If babies come from "it" that means you had to do "it" with her! You hurt her. Why would you do something like that?"

"Kid, you don't understand, that's not how it happened!"

"You hurt her! You hurt Clem!" Danielle said. "I-I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

"Dani-"

"J-Just leave me alone… You hurt my friend and I won't let you hurt me too." Danielle said, she felt like she wanted to cry. "Why would you do something like that…?

"I would never hurt, Clem." Luke frowned. "I would never hurt that little girl…"

Danielle covered her ears, not wanting to hear a word of his "lies".

Luke sighed and walked off, leaving the girl alone.

* * *

Guilt sizzled through her as she tried to wonder what she had done wrong. Terrell had been ignoring her since the day before

Even today he had been away from her all day and had spoken scarcely a few words to her through the day.

Clementine tried not to take it personal. She tried to convince herself that he was just busy, but she felt he was mad. She did her best to distract herself by playing with her babies, but now that they were asleep, her thoughts were running wild.

"Are you mad at me, T?" Clementine asked.

"Why would I be mad?" Terrell asked.

"You've been… avoiding me since yesterday… Did I do something wrong?" Clementine asked him.

"I just want you to trust me, Clem." Terrell said.

"I do trust you." Clementine said.

"You don't act like it." Terrell replied.

"I just don't understand…" Clementine muttered, mostly to herself.

"Understand what, kid?"

"Why did you save me?" Clementine asked again.

"I told you, it was something I had to do." Terrell said.

"Why?"

"I care about you, Clem." Terrell said.

"Well, don't! It'll only get you killed! Don't care about me, T." Clementine said. "Just leave us here…"

"I'm not gonna do that." Terrell refused.

"Leave us!" Clementine exclaimed.

Terrell shot her a look. "What is wrong with you?"

"You want to know what's wrong?! I lost everyone I've cared about except for you and my kids! I don't want to get you killed too, T! I love you." Clementine exclaimed.

Terrell froze at that. "What?"

"I… I love you…" Clementine stammered, lowering her voice.

"Like… In love…?"

Clementine gave a tiny nod. "I know you probably don't care, but I… That's just how I feel…"

Terrell was quiet for a moment and Clementine felt like she would start crying.

"Just go…" Clementine muttered. "Please… Leave us here…"

"No… I'm not leaving you…" Terrell said. "You're not the only one who feels that way."

"W-What?"

"I've proved my feeling by sticking with you. Now it's your turn. If you love me, prove it…" Terrell said.

"Pr-Prove it? H-How?"

"How do you think people prove they love each other?" Terrell asked.

 _With a kiss_ , the child thought.

She could feel her heart pound, she debates on doing this. She drew near him, anger forgotten.

Overwhelmed with emotions, her lips met with his…


	10. Chapter 10

_**Thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.**_

 _ **Steven belongs to G0nna6of4rk1d. Thanks for letting me use him in this.**_

 _ **Warning: This chapter contains an underage sexual encounter. And mentions of child sexual abuse.**_

* * *

"Not a sign. Not a fucking sign of them." Kenny growled. He

"Calm down, Kenny…" Christa sighed.

"How the hell can I calm down…?" Kenny inquired. "I can't lose them too…"

"How long are you willing to look?" Christa asked.

"Until my last breath." Kenny said.

"Good." Christa said. "Because I'm not ready to give up yet. I know they're out there. I know they're alive. We just gotta find them."

* * *

Clementine felt Terrell grip her, deepening the kiss. The young girl was surprised, maybe even a bit startled. "T-Terrell?"

"Shh… It's okay…" Terrell whispered. "You said you love me right…?"

Clementine gave a tiny nod.

"Let me show you how I feel about you. Show me how much you love me." Terrell said.

"I…" She could feel her heart pounding, she was nervous.

"Let me do this…" Terrell whispered.

"But…But…"

Terrell cut the girl off with another kiss.

* * *

Danielle sat a bit away from the group, much like before. She didn't want to be around them. She kept to herself for most of the day, playing innocently with Flopsie. The girl was content just being alone with her stuffed bunny. However, when Bonnie approached her, she didn't protest.

"Hey there..." Bonnie greeted.

"Hey," Danielle said back.

"I made some dinner…" Bonnie said. "For you and Flopsie."

"Flopsie and I aren't not hungry." Danielle replied.

"Well, I'll save you some. In case you changed your mind..." Bonnie said.

"Okay…" Danielle said, keeping her gaze on her stuffed toy.

"You've been so quiet today. Is everything alright?" Bonnie asked.

"I just wanted to be alone..." Danielle replied.

"We heard you yell at Luke earlier…." Bonnie said.

"...Did Luke hurt Clem?" Danielle asked after a moment.

"What?" Bonnie wasn't expecting that question.

"Did he hurt Clementine?" Danielle simply repeated.

"What would make you think that?" Bonnie asked.

"He said he was the father of the babies. I know how babies are made. I knew a woman who was pregnant before. Plus, Miss Staton talked about that stuff at school... you have to do that nasty stuff to make a baby... Did Luke do that to Clementine?" Danielle asked.

"Of course not! He would never!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Then how is he the twins' father?" Danielle asked.

"We… We don't know for sure if he is. He could possibly be, one or both of their father, but we don't know for sure." Bonnie said.

"How? If he's their father, he did that bad stuff with Clem!" Danielle said.

"You don't understand the situation… Luke was… he was forced into doing that with Clem. Neither of them wanted to do it." Bonnie explained.

"How was he forced…?" Danielle asked.

"Bill… Bill had him tied to a chair." Bonnie said.

"Who's Bill?" Danielle inquired.

"He's the main person who was hurting Clementine…" Bonnie said.

"And you people let it happen…?" Danielle asked.

"We didn't let it happen! We… We didn't know." Bonnie said. "She wouldn't say anything… We couldn't have known…"

Danielle shook her head in disbelief. It sounded like Bonnie was blaming her friend. "I don't want to talk anymore."

"Dani…" Bonnie frowned.

"I said I don't want to talk anymore…" Danielle said.

"That's fine… I… I'll leave you and Flopsie alone…" Bonnie said.

Danielle said nothing as the woman walked away.

She didn't know what to think of these people now.

* * *

Clementine awoke early the next morning, she felt a slight ache between her legs. Her face flushed as she recalled what happened the night before.

"You're awake. Good. I made some breakfast." Terrell said, kissing her lips.

Clementine pulled away and frowned. "W-Why didn't you stop?"

"Hmm?"

"I… I told you to stop. You were hurting me…" Clementine said.

"You say you're an adult, right? How do you think adults prove their love?" Terrell said.

"It hurt… It still hurts…" Clementine mumbled.

"You'll be fine. Come on. I made you breakfast…" Terrell said.

"I'm not hungry…" Clementine said.

"Don't be like that, babe." Terrell sighed.

Clementine perked up at that. "Babe?"

"You don't mind if I call you that, do you?" Terrell asked.

Clementine shook her head. "Um… Does this mean… we're dating?"

"It means whatever you want it to mean."

Clementine couldn't help but smile at that.

* * *

The next morning Danielle approached Bonnie while everyone was gathered for breakfast. "Bonnie…"

"Hey, Dani, I made breakfast." Bonnie said.

"Thanks, umm… Bonnie, can we talk?" Danielle asked.

"Of course, Danielle… What's up?" Bonnie said.

Danielle took the woman's hand and led her a bit away from the group.

"I've been thinking about what you said. About Luke…" Danielle started, with some hesitance.

"And…?"

"I… think I believe you… He's been nice. I don't think he would want to hurt Clem." Danielle said. "At least, I hope he wouldn't."

"He would never try to hurt anyone." Bonnie said.

"I want to believe that…" Danielle said.

"You've been so distant. Everyone was worried. We thought you had finally warmed up to us." Bonnie said.

"I thought I had too. But then when I heard about Luke being the twins' father… It was scary. I was worried he hurt Clem. I know some people are bad and like to hurt other people for no reason." Danielle said.

"Luke's not like that, sweetie. And Clementine really trusts- well trusted him and cared about him." Bonnie said.

"I was hurt by people who my mommy thought were nice. People mommy trusted and cared for…" Danielle said.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, sweetheart. But none of us would ever harm any of you kids. No one in our group would hurt little Clementine either. Luke was forced into what happened between them. He didn't want to do that with her." Bonnie said. "All we wanted to do was protect her."

"I wish she was protected better." Danielle said. "I wish she was here right now."

"I do too…" Bonnie frowned. "You two must've been pretty close, huh?"

"Clem was my best friend. She was always standing up for me if someone picked on me. I kept wishing I could be as brave as her…I tried to stand up for her like she always did would me. She was my first friend when I got to Wellington. She was the first one to play with me, she wanted to be my friend even if I was mean to her. She felt like family to me, like a sister." Danielle said. "I can't believe she's gone… It's just so… so horrible… She should be here with us…"

"I wish she was too… She deserves better… Deserved better…" Bonnie frowned.

"I want to take Luke to the cottage." Danielle said.

"What?"

"He said he wants to bury them… If they're dead… if they died in that fire, they probably turned. Clementine and the babies shouldn't be walkers. Clem wouldn't want that…. They deserve a proper burial." Danielle said.

"Dani, that might not be the best thing to do…" Bonnie said.

"Why not? I want to give her, AJ, and my nieces a proper burial. It's the right thing to do." Danielle said.

"Your nieces?" Bonnie asked.

Danielle nodded. "Clementine said I was their auntie. I guess I was becoming AJ's auntie too since Clem was becoming like a mom to him."

"What do you mean? How was she like a mom to him?" Bonnie asked.

"She was taking care of him while we were at the cottage. She changed him, fed him, even gave him her own milk when he wouldn't eat. She was like his adoptive mommy."

"Wow… She was such a good kid. She deserved so much better." Bonnie said. "They all did…"

"Which is why I want to do this…" Danielle said. "I want to. But I want you to come too."

"M-Me?"

Danielle nodded.

"I-I don't know about that..." Bonnie stuttered.

"Please… You said it yourself they deserve better. They deserve a proper burial." Danielle said.

Bonnie was silent for a moment then sighed. "You're right. Clem and those babies deserve better… I'll go…"

"Thank you…"

* * *

Clementine wondered to herself throughout the day what Christa would think if she heard about Terrell being her boyfriend. How would Christa and Kenny react to learning about what she and Terrell had done the night before? What would Lee say, if he was alive?

Would they be disappointed or flat out angry? She felt they would be both. Part of her wanted to chalk up Kenny's and Christa's distrust of Terrell as them just being overprotective, but she wasn't completely sure.

She trusted Terrell; he gave her no reason not to. He had been protecting her, though he didn't have to. He looked out for her and her kids. And even though he could be scary at times, she really liked him. She was glad to be with someone she trusted. Someone who loved her.

* * *

When Bonnie asked to talk to him in private Luke was confused on why.

"What's up?" Luke asked the woman.

"Danielle says she'll take us to the cabin." Bonnie said.

Luke's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yeah, but... I don't think we should tell the others." Bonnie said.

"Why not?" Luke asked.

"Because, they'll be against the idea." Bonnie replied.

Luke knew that was true. But he didn't think keeping it secret would be much better. "Don't you realize they find out we're gone one way or another?"

"I know, but that's why we gotta be fast. We leave tomorrow morning and hopefully make it back by evening." Bonnie said.

"They're gonna flip out when the find out." Luke sighed.

"Well, we'll deal with it then… Those kids deserve a proper burial." Bonnie said.

"Yeah, they do…" Luke said.

* * *

They knew Vince would wake early and that they would have to distract him. Bonnie came up with a plan to suggest getting more wood.

"I'll get it." Vince had offered the next more when Bonnie huffed about not having enough wood.

"You shouldn't go alone." Bonnie said.

Vince looked to the two who were awake. Luke was far to antic over the passed few days, he did not think he would do a great job at watching his back, and things between Vince and Bonnie were just awkward after their argument. "I'll wake Russell and as him to come with me."

"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm sure…" Vince nodded.

Vince walked over to wake the young man, who groggily got up. Before long, the two had headed off.

With the others still asleep, now was their chance. Luke, Bonnie, and Danielle loaded into the van and off they were to find the cottage.

The ride was quiet for a while.

Danielle wondered if she should've told Sarah and Becca that they were going. She wondered what they would think. She had debated on talking to them but upon Bonnie's request, she hadn't.

"Why didn't you want me to tell them we were leaving?" Danielle asked.

"I… They don't always agree with what we do. They would've been against the idea." Bonnie said.

"Like they were against your idea to go to Howes?" Danielle wondered.

Luke gave a noticeable flinch at that.

"What is Howes?" The child asked them.

"…It's… a hardware store." Bonnie said.

"It's a bad place, kid. It was a really bad place." Luke said.

"Why? What made it bad?" The child was confused, how could a store be bad.

"A lot of bad stuff happened there." Luke said.

"Oh… Why were you there?" Danielle asked.

"We didn't have a choice. We were forced there and trapped." Luke frowned. "Let's not talk about this kid…"

Danielle paused for a moment but spoke again, "Was… Was that where you were forced to do that bad stuff with Clem?"

Luke took a deep breath. "…Yeah… Yeah, it was…"

"I'm sorry…" Danielle mumbled.

"Me too…" Luke said.

* * *

Terrell noticed Clementine seemed giddy as the day progressed. They spent the morning cuddling upon the girl's request. When they got back on the road Clementine had put some pep in her step but was also sporting a pretty noticeable limp.

"You're in a good mood, huh?" Terrell noted.

"I never had a boyfriend before." Clementine said.

"Well there's a first for everything." Terrell said.

"Christa thinks you're too old for me." Clementine said.

"Christa's gone, kid. She can't boss you around anymore." Terrell said.

Clementine couldn't help but frown at his words.

"She didn't like me anyway. Neither did Kenny." Terrell huffed.

"They were just being overprotective…" Clementine said. "…I miss them."

"I'm sure you do." Terrell said.

"You… don't think you're do old for me?" Clementine asked him.

"Do you think I am?" Terrell asked back.

"No. I don't think you're old at all." Clementine innocently replied.

"Well the only opinion that matters is yours… You decide if you want to be my girlfriend." Terrell said.

"I do…" Clementine said.

"Then it's settled. You don't act your age anyway, so I think it's fine. Plus, we're not doing anything you've never done before." Terrell responded.

"What do you mean?" Clementine asked.

"You're a mother. So, you've obviously had sex before, even if it was forced." Terrell said.

"Christa said what happened was rape, not sex. She said sex is for grown-ups when they're in love." Clementine said. "What Carver did to me was rape. What we did last night was sex."

"We made love, Clem." Terrell corrected the girl

"Made love? Is that different from sex?" The girl questioned.

"Yeah… It's better." Terrell said.

Clementine furrowed her brows. "Oh… Christa never told me about that…So there's rape, sex, and making love… And whatever happened to me at the Dairy Farm."

"Dairy farm?"

"Uh-huh. Back when I was with Lee, back when my first group was all together, we found a farm… well, the people who owned the farm found us." Clementine said. "But it wasn't a nice place. The people there were very naughty. I tried to stay with Lee, or, Kenny and Katjaa… Katjaa was Kenny's wife before he met Sarita. They had a son who was my friend. His name was Duck."

"Duck?" Terrell asked.

Clementine giggled. "Yeah… I put a bug on his pillow once. It was funny… I miss him too…"

"…So, what happened at this dairy farm?" Terrell asked.

"Lee was outside, we were getting ready for dinner. Katjaa took me and Duck to wash our hands but I had to use the bathroom. Duck was whining that he was hungry and Katjaa told me to just come straight to the dining room when I was done. After I finished and opened the door, the really, really naughty St John brother was there." Clementine paused. "He- He told me he liked my dress. That it made me look pretty… Even though my dress was dirty…"

"How does that make him naughty?"

"He was naughty, T! He was! That wasn't all he did…" Clementine said. "He asked me if I wiped and I told him yes. Then he asked about my panties. If he could see them. I told him no, but he asked again. He told me no to yell, then tried to lift my dress. He said if I told everyone would be mad at me..." Clementine felt herself shudder a bit from the memory. "But his brother came and asked what he was doing, they started arguing, something about his "urges would ruin everything" He told me not to worry about what happened. And not to tell any...To go eat dinner... So I went back to find the others..."

"Did you tell anyone…?" Terrell asked.

"I was scared. I didn't know what to say...I thought I would get in trouble if I did." Clementine said. "I never told anyone, except you..."

"Damn... That's crazy... How old were you?"

"I was eight…" Clementine answered.

"I'm sorry, Clem..." Terrell said.

"Me too..." Clementine frowned.

"Well, what we did was different from what any of those assholes did to you. You wanted to prove you loved me, right?" Terrell asked.

"I guess so, but it hurt." Clementine said.

"It won't hurt next time." Terrell said.

"I don't want to play sex again for a long time." Clementine replied.

"What we did wasn't sex, Clem. We made love, and you'll learn to enjoy it..." Terrell said.

"Maybe... but it made me feel weird..." Clementine admitted.

Terrell just changed the subject. "Come on, babe. Let's get a move on. Not much farther now."

"Okay..."

* * *

"Danielle…" Luke called breaking the silence.

"Yes?" Danielle said.

"Can…. you tell me about the twins?" The man asked her.

"What do you want to know?" Danielle asked.

"What were they like? They were so tiny last time I saw them…" Luke said.

"They were still really tiny. They were really cute. And so sweet." Danielle said. "They could sit up by themselves, I think they were gonna start crawling soon."

"They just grow up so fast." Bonnie said.

"I wish I could've been there for them…" Luke huffed, fighting tears. "They needed me… They need to know their daddy."

"Luke you can't blame yourself… None of this was your fault…" Bonnie said.

"Well, I can't forget it either…" Luke huffed.

* * *

Clementine realized she felt different with each passing hour after what she had done. She had "made love" with Terrell… She had never even heard the term "made love" before. She knew she had been raped by those naughty people, but making love felt different. Even though it had hurt pretty bad.

The two kept walking in silence, Terrell was pulling the wagon while Clementine trailed behind him. Lost in though. How long had they been walking? How much longer would they be walking? Where were they even going?

She wondered all these questioned before suddenly being yanked from her thoughts when she heard voices.

The child flinched, freezing up a bit as she wondered who the voices belonged to, were they naughty people?

She looked to Terrell with concern. "T… T, what do we do?"

"It's okay, just stay back. I'll check it out, make sure these folks aren't psychopaths who wanna kill us." Terrell said.

"Okay… Be careful…" Clementine replied.

"I will." Terrell said.

Clementine waited with her children anxiously, while Terrell went forward towards the group of people. She could hear him talking to them, though she couldn't make out the entire conversation. But she heard one thing loud and clear,

"Holy shit, man… we thought you were dead."

* * *

The first thing Vince noticed when he and Russell returned from gathering would was that Luke and Bonnie were nowhere to be seen. Danielle was also gone.

He looked around and realized something else. "Damn it!"

"What?" Russell asked.

"The vans gone." Vince said.

"Gone?" Russell looked to where the vehicle had been parked. "Who the hell would take it."

"Luke and Bonnie…" Vince replied.

To say Clementine was confused would have been an understatement. The young girl was bewildered beyond belief. It was clear as day that Terrell knew these people. The question was: how?

Clementine grabbed the wagon's handle. She struggled a bit as she approached her boyfriend. "T," She called to him. "What's going on?"

All eyes turned to her.

"Who are the kids?" An older woman asked.

Terrell sighed and spoke to the small girl, "It's okay, Clem. It's safe."

"You know them..." The child furrowed her brows. "How do you know them, T?"

* * *

"This looks about right… The area, I mean." Danielle spoke after a while of driving. "It's by the river."

"Okay, just let us know when to stop." Luke said.

"Okay…" Danielle nodded. "It was a nice place, you know… We were hoping to make it permanent. We wanted to stay for a longtime. But I guess nothing is permanent…"

Bonnie frowned at the child's words. "Danielle, I…"

"Wait, stop the van…" Danielle said.

Luke did as she said.

The young girl looked around then said, "We're close. Real close."

* * *

"What do you mean they left?" Wyatt asked.

"I mean they took the van and left." Vince huffed.

"Where's Dani?" Sarah asked.

"I... It looks like they took her too." Vince said.

"Where do you think they went?" Russell wondered.

"…To try to bury those kids…" Vince said. "Luke kept mentioning it… I'm sure that's where they went."

"So what do we do?" Becca asked.

"They took the van. What can we do?" Russell huffed.

"We gotta do something." Becca said. "What if they get themselves killed?"

"There's not much we can do right now… It'll take far too long to catch them on foot… We just have to wait." Vince said.

"Wait for what?" Russell asked.

"For them to come back…" Vince said.

"If they do…" Becca mumbled.

* * *

"This is Clementine. She's-"

"His girlfriend." Clementine said. "I'm his girlfriend. We made love together."

The group was shocked to hear the little girl's words.

"Clem… Why don't you go take care of the kids in one of the tents?"

"Why? Did… Did I say something naughty?" Clementine asked, looking nervous.

"Don't worry about it, babe. Steven, take her to one of the tents." Terrell said.

The teen boy, Steven rose a brow. "Why me?"

"Just take her." Terrell said.

"She's your toy, why can't you do it?" Steven scoffed.

"I'm not a toy… I'm a person." Clementine said.

"Stay out of this. Why can't you take her to the tent yourself?" Steven asked Terrell.

"Because I need to talk to him. Now go." The older woman spoke instead.

"Whatever. Come on, kid." Steven said.

"Don't call me kid. I'm not a kid." Clementine said.

"Uh, yeah, you are." Steven replied.

"I am not!" Clementine snapped before looking to Terrell. "T, I'm not going with him."

"Clem, not now. Don't be difficult." Terrell's tone was threatening, it frightened her a bit.

"I don't want to go with him, why can't you take me?" Clementine asked.

"I'll be there soon. Just go. You'll be fine, Clem." Terrell said.

"But…"

Terrell knelt to her level, "Hey, you trust me, don't you?"

Clementine gave a tiny nod. "I trust you. I don't trust him."

"Well, I trust him, and you can too." Terrell said.

"Why should I, T? I don't know these people." Clementine replied.

"I know them, Clem. I trust them." Terrell said.

"How do you know them?" Clementine asked.

"I've known them for a long time. Teresa knew my mother." Terrell said.

The older woman offered a small wave.

"And Steven… he's my cousin…" Terrell said.

Clementine's eyes widened. "Yo-You're cousin?"

"Go to the tent, Clem." Terrell said.

"I…I- okay…" The girl gave in, but wondered what was going on…

"This is it." Danielle said. "This is where we were staying."

* * *

"It looks awful…" Bonnie commented.

"Yeah, it was horrible when we saw the flames…" Danielle said. "It was so horrible…"

"Let's find a way inside." Luke said.

"What?" Danielle asked.

"We gotta find a way inside. We need to get the kids out of there so we can bury them." Luke headed towards the burnt mess that had once been the cottage.

Danielle hesitated. "I don't want to see them…"

"Huh?" Bonnie looked to the child.

"I don't want to see them as walkers." Danielle said.

"Neither do I… But I can't leave them that way either." Luke said.

Danielle frowned she understood how he felt. "Y-You're right…"

Bonnie offered the child her hand, which Danielle slowly took. "Let's do this…"

* * *

"What's going on Terrell, why did you bring those fucking kids back?" Teresa inquired. "And what the hell is she calling herself your girlfriend for? Did you really fuck her? Does she even know what making love means?"

"She knows now." Terrell said.

"We don't "make love", we make trades. What's the point of sleeping with her if she has nothing to offer?" Teresa huffed. "That girl and her little siblings are nothing but more mouths to feed."

"You said you had a crew with you, people you were bringing back. Don't tell me they were the kids. What happened to them?" Teresa asked.

"They crossed me, so I dealt with them." Terrell said.

The older woman rolled her eyes. "You killed them, didn't you?"

"I did what I had to." Terrell said.

"Damn it, Terrell. But you thought it was smart to bring this girl and her little siblings back?" Teresa huffed. "Since when did you start saving lost kittens from trees?"

"I didn't have to save her. She's capable." Terrell said.

"She can barely walk." Teresa said.

"She likes me, and there's something about her that I like too." Terrell said.

"She's a kid, Terrell. She's not gonna be able to help us." Teresa said.

"Where are the others?" Terrell changed the subject, noticing some of their group was missing.

"You weren't the only one out making friends." Teresa said. "We met some guys, Badger, he seemed to be in charge, Lonnie, and Max."

"What the fuck kind of name is Badger?" Terrell scoffed.

"I thought the same…" The woman huffed. "We made a trade with them a few times. After our recent trade, they offered a little something more."

"What?"

"Apparently, they have a group, they said they're working on expanding. They talked it over with their leaders, and one of the leaders, Joan, actually offered us a spot in their camp." Teresa said. "Not all of them are down but we'll see what happens."

"Leaders?"

"There's four of them. Haven't met them but they're willing to make this trade and I'm not willing to turn it down unless we have to." Teresa said.

"What's the deal?" Terrell asked.

"We keep doing what we're doing and bring in supplies for their town, in turn we get a roof over our head." Teresa said. "I sent a few of ours to check their place out and make sure it was legit."

"So… they're aware of what we do?" Terrell asked.

"Yeah, That Badger guy said they could use our "skills"." Teresa said.

"This might be a good deal for us." Terrell said, a smirk on his lips.

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Teresa said. "So back to these kids, why did you bring them back here? Where are their parents?"

"The girl and I got close. Her parents are gone. And I couldn't just leave her behind." Terrell said.

"Don't tell me you've gone soft…" Teresa said.

"I told you she's capable. She's not just a regular kid, she's tough." Terrell said. "She'll do what she can to keep those babies alive."

"So, you already broke her in… base off what she said." Teresa said. "But why did you bring those babies though? They're just gonna be a problem. This isn't a daycare, Terrell. Your cousin was one kid too many as it was."

"They aren't her siblings." Terrell said.

"What?"

"Those babies aren't her siblings. Clementine's different, and her and the babies are a packaged deal." Terrell said.

"Packaged deal? What the hell are you talking about?" Teresa inquired.

"Those kids are hers. She's their mother." Terrell explained.

"Damn… So, someone else broke her in before you. Which means… she's not a first timer…" Teresa said.

"She'll learn our ways. I'll teach her." Terrell said.

"Alright, they're your responsibility." Teresa said. "This should be interesting."

* * *

"So what made you group up with my cousin?" Steven asked as he took a seat across from Clementine.

Clementine ignored the older boy, checking on the sleeping babies while she sat in silence.

"What? You can't talk now?" The teen scoffed.

"What does it matter?" Clementine just wished the boy would leave her alone.

"I'm just saying. This isn't a group for an innocent little girl." Steven said.

"I'm not an innocent little girl." Clementine retorted.

"You sure as hell look like one." Steven said.

Clementine glared at him.

"But I guess you're right. Innocent little girls don't go around getting fucked and making babies." Steven said. "Never would've thought you'd be able to even have a kid at your age."

Clementine was surprised to hear that. Most people usually assumed that the girls were her siblings. "It wasn't like that… It didn't happen how you think."

"I don't care how it happened to be honest." Steven said. "But I do got a question for you. What do you see in my cousin?"

"He… He's been protecting me… He respects me. I… I really like him. I think I love him." Clementine said.

"Respects you?" Steven scoffed. "I doubt it."

"He does…"

Steven was silent for a minute before saying, "I don't get it…"

"Get what?"

"Wouldn't you want to be with someone close to your age?" Steven asked.

"What?"

Steven continued, "Someone like me,"

"No thanks." Clementine shook her head.

"I don't see why not." Steven said.

"Why would I?" Clementine said, "Can you please leave?"

"Why are you being so picky?" Steven asked.

"I don't even know you." Clementine said.

"You'll get to know me." Steven said. "Come on, we could make a trade."

"A trade of what?"

"Whatever you want. That's how things work in this group. We can even start small." The boy placed a hand on her leg and rubbed.

"N-No!" She slapped his hand away. "Get out!"

"Don't be like that."

"Get out!" Clementine snapped. "Leave me be!"

"Fine, you won't be getting very far in this world by being a prude!" The boy stormed out and Clementine frowned, hushing her daughters as they whimpered.

She was uncomfortable and wondered what Steven had been talking about.

* * *

"So how do we get inside?" Bonnie asked.

The wooden roof of the cottage had collapsed and was blocking the front door.

"We'll try the back." Luke said.

Bonnie nodded. "Come on, Dani."

"Okay..." Danielle said.

The three made their way to the back. The door was open, much to their relief. They made their way inside, already fearing what they would see.

Rancid smells emanated the scorched walls. The cabin definitely smelled like death. The sight and smell of the place made Danielle shudder.

Luke had been shocked and devastated upon seeing the outside of the cabin alone, but inside was much worse. The presentation of the cabin made him sick to his stomach as he wondered what kind of evil person would do this. He had

There were no signs of anyone nearby, but the eerie state of the cottage had them on guard and the sights around them made their skin prickle.

Danielle frowned as she noted that the building, which had already been small and broken to begin with, had its state reduced even more by the fire. The charred furniture saddened the small girl, all hope she once had for making this place a home was gone, turning to ashes and whiffs of steam and smoke.

They didn't have to look far to find bodies, they were burnt so badly that Danielle's eyes widened, and she gasped.

"Oh God…" Bonnie cringed. "Dani, don't look." She quickly wrapped the shaking eleven-year-old into a hug.

"I think I'm gonna be sick…" The child mumbled."

"It's okay… Maybe we should get some fresh air." Bonnie said.

Danielle felt she needed more than that after everything she'd see.

"Maybe we should go back outside for a bit." Bonnie said.

Luke who had been silent looked over the bodies. None of these remains belonged to Clementine, none of them were small enough to be a child. Plus, the girl's signature cap would've been a give away even if it was burnt. Luke figured he should search the rest of the cabin.

"Luke, what's up?" Bonnie asked.

"None of these are Clem." Luke said.

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"None of these bodies belong to Clem. Look at them." Luke said.

Bonnie really didn't want to.

"…I'm gonna have a look around." Luke said as he straightened up. "You two can wait outside if you want."

"Okay… Danielle, let's-"

"I want to stay. I want to help look." Danielle cut Bonnie off.

"Are you sure, sweetie?" Bonnie asked.

Danielle nodded. If there was a chance her friend was alive, she needed to know.

"Alright then." Luke said. "Let's take a look around."

* * *

"Do you think Dani's okay?" Sarah asked.

"Why wouldn't she be? She's with Luke and Bonnie." Becca responded.

"I know… I know they'll try their best to look after her… but they're not always so great at taking care of kids." Sarah said.

Both teens knew that was true.

"Plus, I'm worried about them too. Do you think they're okay?" Sarah asked.

"I'm sure they are." Becca shrugged.

"Luke seems so…different… All the grown-ups do…" Sarah said.

"I guess they've gone through a lot."

"So did we…" Sarah frowned. "Everyone's mad now… I know they're gonna fight when Luke and Bonnie come back…"

"They probably will. They should've told us instead of just taking the van and leaving." Becca said, looking annoyed.

"I thought Danielle would've told us… I thought she trusted us." Sarah said. "She would've told Clem."

"She trusted Clem. She was Clem's friend, like I said. Those two were pretty inseparable once they became friends." Becca said.

"I know… But I thought she would trust us too." Sarah said.

"Clearly not enough…" Becca said.

Sarah didn't know how to respond. She looked over to Wyatt, Russell, and Vince who were talking amongst themselves. The three men were obviously upset. "I hope the grown-ups don't fight."

"They're definitely gonna fight. And it serves Luke and Bonnie right." Becca said. "This is why things fell apart before. The adults were all sneaky and no one trusted each other. How can you live with people you don't trust?"

"My dad wasn't sneaky…" Sarah said. "He was always helping people."

"Like hell he wasn't. All the adults were sneaky and to top it off, your dad could be a major asshole. Especially to Clem. He didn't treat her right." Becca said.

"Like you didn't…" Sarah replied.

"Forget it…" Becca huffed. "It doesn't matter anymore…"

Sarah frowned but said nothing.

"Anyway, we can't do anything now, but wait for them to come back, like Vince said."

"…Okay…" Sarah said. "I really hope they don't fight. I really hate fighting."

"I'm really starting to hate it too…" Becca said.

* * *

"Everything alright, babe? I heard you yelling." Terrell said, as he entered the tent to see Clementine trying to calm her now whimpering babies.

"Is that boy really your cousin?" Clementine asked.

"Yeah, he really is." Terrell said.

"Well, he's annoying." Clementine huffed.

Terrell chuckled. "He can be. What happened?"

"He thinks I'm a whore." Clementine said.

"I'm sure that's not true." Terrell said. "Why would you think that?"

"Because he wants to play the sex game with me. I know he did." Clementine replied. "He must think I'm a whore."

"It doesn't matter what he wants. You're my girl, babe." Terrell said. "Don't worry about him, he's just a stupid, horny fifteen-year-old. And yeah, he can be annoying."

"Okay…" Clementine said before calling in a curious voice, "T,"

"Yeah, babe?"

"What's horny mean?" Clementine asked.

Terrell snickered a bit at innocent question. "Nothing, babe. Nothing."

* * *

They searched through the burnt remains of the cottage but there was no body that even remotely resembled little Clementine or the babies.

From the looks of it they had managed to escape the fire. They were all relieved and even feeling hopeful.

"She's alive. I just know she is. I can feel it." Danielle said.

"I think so too." Luke said. "We should see if there anything around that might tell us where Clem is."

"Or anything useful in general." Bonnie said.

"Probably not much in here, but I guess it's worth looking." Luke said.

Bonnie nodded.

There wasn't much of value, but they managed to salvage anything useful that hadn't been reduced to ash.

When they left the cabin, they did so feeling hopeful with the news they learned that Clementine and the babies could still be alive out there. The walk to the van was silent and when Luke had started driving the silence remained.

Luke gripped the steering wheel while lost in thought.

"You okay, Luke?" Bonnie asked.

Luke nodded. "I'm gonna find them, Bonnie. I have to find them."

* * *

There had been many times when he asked himself "what's the point?". He had been going on for them… For those kids, especially for those little one, Clem, AJ, the twins… He had been fighting to stay alive for those kids and for Sarita… They had given him hope.

How could this have happened? Why had it happened?

He felt happy with them. They were his family, but it seemed the universe didn't want him to be happy. He had lost his family yet again. And just like so many times before he found himself wondering, "what was the point?".

* * *

"You know, despite the circumstances this was kind of nice…" Bonnie said.

"What was?" Luke asked.

"This trip." Bonnie said. "I…I mean, I wish it was for a different cause, but it was nice with it just being the three of us."

Luke didn't know how to respond to her words. She had just said a trip that they had gone on with the assumption that a little girl, a toddler, and two infants were dead, and the intent to bury them, was nice.

While it was great news to learn they could likely be alive, that didn't change the fact that they had no idea where they were or if they were safe. And for that reason, Luke was finding it difficult to keep his nerves in check, much like he had been struggling with the whole ride to the cottage.

He no longer had a lump stuck in his throat, but he didn't think of the trip as "nice".

"I'm just glad that we didn't have to bury a child today." He said.

"Yeah… Me too…" Bonnie said.

The mood in the van dampened further between the two.

"Do you ever…" Bonnie paused as if think if she should finish her sentence.

"Ever what?" Luke rose a brow.

"Do you ever think about running away?" Bonnie asked.

"…You know I do…" Luke said.

"What if we did? Just the three of us…" Bonnie glanced back to Danielle who was fast asleep. "Dani's such a sweet little kid. I wouldn't mind looking after her."

"Run away and do what?" Luke questioned.

"Start over. Find some place safe…" Bonnie said.

Luke sighed at her words, "Bonnie, I gotta find those kids. I can't just leave them."

"And that's fine. We could find them. We could find them and take them with us. Let them all be kids. Raise the twins as Clem's sisters, let the kids all grow up like siblings. Last I recall, Clem didn't remember giving birth. We could give them a nice childhood." Bonnie said.

"What about the others? What about Sarah and Becca?" Luke asked.

"…They'd be safe with Vince and the others," Bonnie said.

"That's not like you, Bonnie… We can't just ditch them." Luke replied.

"…I know… I don't want to ditch anyone… I just… I'm tired of fighting, and I'm worried how they're gonna react today." Bonnie said.

"I am too, but like you said… we'll deal with it when it comes to it." Luke said. "It was worth it. To find out they didn't die in that fire. I needed to know… and I regret nothing."

* * *

The girl was quiet as she sat around with the rest of Terrell's group. She stayed close to Terrell, while also keeping her babies near her.

The first thing Clementine noticed about Terrell's group was that it was made up of mostly females. The second thing she noticed was how touch these people were. Things ranging from a simple pat on the shoulder to a caress on the thigh.

Clementine didn't know what to make of these people.

"So are the babies really yours?" One woman asked.

Clementine didn't respond.

"How old are you? Ten?" Another woman asked.

"I'm twelve." Clementine said.

"You barely look old enough to be in fifth grade." Another woman said.

"I…never made it to fifth grade anyway… Because of the walkers…" Clementine replied.

"What grade were you in?" Another woman asked.

"Second… About to be in third." Clementine said.

"You're still a little kid, so I'm not surprised." Teresa said.

"I'm not a little kid." Clementine pouted.

"You sure as hell act like one." Steven mumbled.

"What's your problem? You don't even know a damn thing about me!" Clementine snapped.

"I know you're a prude!" Steven said.

"Enough! Leave her alone!" Teresa spoke in a scolding tone.

The teen huffed glaring at Clementine before storming off.

"T, what's a prude?" Clementine asked.

The woman around her laughed at her question and Clementine frowned.

"Someone who doesn't like to get down and dirty." One of the women laughed.

"Why would I want to get dirty?" Was Clementine's innocent reply.

"Ignore her, Clem. It doesn't mean anything." Terrell said.

"Everything means something." Clementine said.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Terrell said.

Clementine sighed at that. She wanted to trust him, but she was still shocked after finding out that he knew these people and hadn't told her.

"Is a prude a naughty person?" She asked. "Was he calling me a naughty name?"

"Hey, look at me… It doesn't matter what he or anyone else says about you. You should only care about what I think. And I think you're amazing." Terrell said.

The girl gave a small smile.

Suddenly she felt his lips meet her own.

He broke away and said, "You're amazing, babe."

"Thanks…" Clementine mumbled with a small blush. It was certain, she decided. She was in love.

* * *

The van sputtered briefly, and Luke's heart immediately sink. He checked the gas meter and frowned, "No, no no…" He muttered.

They were nearly there. They could make it, he told himself.

The van shuddered and sputtered more. The needle reading "E".

"Come on. Come on…" Luke pleaded.

"We'll get there." Bonnie said, trying to stay positive.

Luke never felt more jinxed in his life, as the vehicle rolled to an abrupt stop, out of gas.

"Damn it…" Luke tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Damn it!"

Danielle flinched awake, and asked sleepily, "Wha-What's going on?"

"We're out of gas…" Luke replied.

Danielle looked out the window. "It's already dark…"

"We'll be fine, sweetie…." Bonnie tried to reassure her before turning to Luke, "What do we do now, Luke."

"The only thing we can do." He opened the driver's door. "We walk."

Bonnie sighed at that.

Danielle however frown, "It's dark out… What if something happens? It's scary…"

"We'll be fine… You can hold my hand the whole time we're walking." Bonnie said to the girl.

"Promise?" Danielle asked.

"I promise." Bonnie said.

Danielle was nervous as Bonnie got out the car and opened the door for her. The redhead offered the small girl her hand.

"Come on, sweetie…"

Danielle hesitantly took her hand. "Okay…"

* * *

Night had fallen and they headed back to the tent, Clementine had tended to her babies and gotten them to sleep, now she had questions for Terrell. "T, why didn't you tell me you had a group?" She asked.

"I wanted to, but I didn't want you to be suspicious of me." Terrell said.

"Why would I be? I just wanted you to be honest." Clementine said.

"I didn't want to take the risk that you wouldn't trust me… Your guardians already hated me. They were trying to fill your head with bullshit." Terrell said.

"…Did you know the people who attacked me and my friends at the cottage?" Clementine asked.

"I already told you I didn't, kid." Terrell said.

"Can you not call me that anymore?"

"What?"

"Kid. I don't want to be called kid. You said we were dating. So please don't call me that. I'm not a kid. We "made love", remember?" Clementine said.

"Alright, babe. I won't call you kid anymore. I'm sorry…" Terrell said. "No, I didn't know those people, love."

Love...? That was a new name from him. It made her heart flutter a bit, but she wasn't done with her questions.

"Did you know the people who attacked Wellington?" Clementine asked him.

"Why would I know them?" Terrell questioned back.

"I don't know, T. Why would you?" Clementine asked.

Terrell crossed his arms. "I didn't know them, Clem."

"Why were you at Wellington?"

"When did you become an interrogator?" Terrell chuckled.

"Can you please just answer the question?" Clementine said.

"Why?"

"I need to know, T." Clementine replied.

"You said you trust me." Terrell said.

"I do… I want to trust you, so please answer the question so I can keep trusting you." Clementine responded.

Terrell sighed. "I went there to make a trade."

"And you decided to stay?" Clementine asked.

"Everyone's heard of Wellington, everyone knew it was safe. I wanted to see exactly how safe and find a way to get my people inside. When they started turning people away, I knew they'd do the same to my group, so I stayed hoping they'd have an opening and my people could get first dibs." Terrell said.

"What about the radio?" Clementine asked.

"What about it?"

"You were always using it." Clementine said. "Why?"

"I needed to keep contact with my family. They were out here, and I was in Wellington. I needed to make sure they were safe." Terrell told her.

Clementine thought on his words, not sure if she should believe him or not.

Terrell seemed to sense her doubt as he took her little hand into his own and met her shy but skeptical gaze. "Hey, babe… You trust me, right."

"…I trust you, T." She said, though she was unsure.

"Good." Terrell smiled at that. "We should get some rest. We might be moving on tomorrow."

"Okay…" Clementine said.

"Here, lay with me, babe." Terrell said.

Clementine looked to her kids her were asleep in the wagon. She wanted to lay by them, but she wouldn't want to make her boyfriend upset. It wouldn't hurt to lay with him for a little while, as long as he didn't want to play sex again…

"…Okay, T."

* * *

"You should get some rest, Kenny." Christa said.

"No need to." Kenny huffed.

"You look exhausted." Christa pointed out.

"Not like sleep with help anything." Kenny grumbled back in response.

"Well, what do you plan to do? Just stay up for the rest of your life?" Christa rolled her eyes.

"All I want right now is to sit here and hope someone puts a bullet in my head." Kenny muttered.

Christa shook her head, face falling to a look of concern. "Don't say that."

"Why? I'd deserve it anyways." Kenny said.

"That's not true, Kenny…" Christa sighed. "Think about the kids."

"I am… That's all I've been thinking about. I've been thinking about all the damn times I failed them. How I should've protected Clem… I never deserved the chance to care for that little angel. She… She always forgives me. No matter what I do or say she still loves me, and it makes me hate myself. I let her get hurt. I should've paid more attention and kept her close to me like Lee did. I'll never be able to forgive myself for what she went through…" Kenny mumbled. "First my son and my wife, and now…Fuck…"

Christa knew he was going through a lot; it was hard seeing him like this.

"Maybe this is the universe's way of saying I'm not meant to be a father. I'm not meant to be a husband or a boyfriend. I'm not meant to be loved." Kenny said.

Christa shook her head at that. "Then what's that say about me? You're not the only one who lost everything, Kenny. You know I have too."

"Yeah… I guess we're both pretty unlucky, huh?" Kenny replied.

"I'm not giving up on them. I'm not gonna stop until I've found them. If your fight's all gone and you want to sulk or… give up, then that's really disappointing, but I know how much you love those kids and how much they love you." Christa said. "You owe it to them to keep looking. And I think you owe it to Lee to keep looking for his girl. The things Clementine went through in our care… I can't forgive myself for it either…. and I don't think Lee would ever forgive us if he knew what she went through… But we owe it to Lee to find her and protect her. She needs us."

"All I want to do is protect those kids…" Kenny said.

"And that's what we'll do." Christa said.

Kenny didn't respond. He was worried he would fail again.

* * *

The sun had risen by time their camp came into view. They probably would have made it soon had they not stopped to rest for the night.

Both Luke and Bonnie had hoped that the others would still be asleep when they returned, but that hope was crushed when they noticed them sitting as if they were waiting all night. They were all clearly pissed and rightfully so. Still, they worried how the whole ordeal would play out.

"They're back!" Sarah's innocent exclamation caused their hearts to drop.

"Hey guys…" Bonnie greeted a bit awkwardly.

"That wasn't cool guys, you should've talked to us first." Wyatt said.

"It was complete bullshit. How could you just take off like that?" Russell added.

"We… We knew you guys would be against it." Bonnie said.

"Where's the van?" Vince asked.

"It ran out of gas." Luke answered.

"What?" Russell asked.

"It ran out of gas. We walked the rest of the way back." Luke said.

"Great, so now we're out a vehicle too. This is fucked up." Wyatt groaned.

"You took the van, left without a word, and then used up all the gas? Not to mention you too the kid with you. You put her at risk." Vince said.

Danielle frowned upon her the mention of her. She felt somewhat guilty about this.

Vince noticed the child's uncomfortable expression and said, "None of this is your fault, Dani. Don't worry."

Bonnie frowned at that and spoke to the small child as well, "Why don't you go play with Sarah and Becca?" She suggested to the girl.

Danielle was reluctant, she was sure the two teens were upset with her.

"Go on, kiddo. It'll be okay." Luke said.

Danielle frowned but walked over to the teens, holding Flopsie close to her, she was nervous.

Immediately the adults started arguing amongst themselves. Danielle tried to block them out, but it was hard to do so. She just hoped they wouldn't attract walkers. She hated hearing people fight.

"So you thought it would be a good idea to just leave without telling us? Becca inquired as the girl took a seat.

Danielle shrink back a bit, she hated being in the middle of a conflict even more than she hated hearing people fight.

"So we lost the van?" Russell huffed at Luke and Bonnie. "Someone's probably gonna take it before we find it…"

"Why didn't you talk to us?" Sarah asked Danielle.

"You could've gotten yourself killed!" Becca snapped at the younger girl.

The comments continued and Becca and Sarah seemed to be fueled on by the adults arguing as the question Danielle.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Becca asked Danielle, just as Wyatt spoke the same words to Luke and Bonnie.

"I knew you guys wouldn't agree with me, but I needed to do this." Luke said. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry as hell about the van, but I had to do this."

"Luke, you put yourselves and a small child at risk." Vince said. "You could've got another kid killed."

"I wouldn't get anyone killed!" Luke snapped. "Clementine not dead, she's alive!"

Eyes grew wide upon hearing that. Everything seemed to pause.

"Wh-What?" Vince asked.

"We didn't find their bodies." Luke said. "They're alive. They have to be. And I'm gonna find them."

* * *

Clementine was surprised when she woke in the morning to voices. She took a moment to remember where she was. She figured it must have been early morning as her kids hadn't woken yet. She could hear a conversation going on outside the tent and though she wasn't meaning to be noisy, her curiosity got the best of her and she couldn't help but ease-drop.

"Everything checks out?" Terrell's voice reached her ears.

"Yeah, this place seems legit." Another male's voice spoke. "They're willing to bring us there today."

"Sounds good. Long as we do things right, we'll have nothing to worry about." Teresa spoke. "Let's wake the others. We should get a move on.

Clementine made a mental note to ask Terrell what the hell was going on.

Could she really trust these people? Should she even take the chance?

All she wanted was the best for her kids and she knew they would all be as good as dead if they were alone. She had no choice but to stick with this group, at least for now.

She just hoped she wasn't making a mistake…


End file.
